TE Anthony Fasano, Kansas City Chiefs

HT: 6-5, WT: 255, Born: 4-20-1984, College: Notre Dame, Drafted: Round 2

2013 Projections

Outlook

Anthony Fasano is a veteran tight end that has spent the past five seasons in Miami. Fasano is known more for his blocking but he's also seen great success in the red zone. In three of his five seasons in Miami he had five or more touchdowns, which is more than any other tight end on the Chiefs roster has in his career. While the Chiefs drafted Travis Kelce in the third round, that shouldn't really be seen as a threat to Fasano as his blocking will keep him in on two tight end sets.

Latest News

Chiefs | Tony Moeaki won't return until July (Thu May 23, 07:19 PM) - Kansas City Chiefs TE Tony Moeaki (knee) is unlikely to be on the practice field until training camp in July. Moeaki has been watching from the sidelines during organized team activities this week.

Our View: Moeaki just can't stay healthy. His injury history reads like War and Peace. It's long, storied, and goes back to his days in college. This opens the door for rookie TE Travis Kelce. A favorite of Matt Waldman, Kelce has smooth acceleration and gets into his route quickly. He does a good job of coming back to the football and boxing out smaller defenders away from the football.
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2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 1 - The Dolphins used Fasano both as a blocker and receiver against the Texans. Early on, the veteran tight end was called on to stay in-line as a blocker to help establish the running game and protect Ryan Tannehill from the Texans' pass rush. Later in the game, he was sent on a number of quick out and go routes down the seam as the Dolphins looked for life in the passing game. Fasano does a good job shedding blockers at the line but is not the most nimble-footed tight end in the league. His route running continues to improve but the Dolphins may continue to lean on him as a blocker as Ryan Tannehill acclimates to the pro game.

Week 2 - Fasano is a reliable, blocking TE and isn’t looked to very often as a receiver. But in the fourth quarter, he caught a pass five yards upfield in the middle of the field, turned, made a defender miss and waltzed into the endzone. If Fasano could continually make plays in the middle of the field, it would really impact the offense in a positive way. But if history tells us anything, it tells us that Fasano is not going to be much of a factor in the passing game from week to week.

Week 3 - Fasano’s involvement was a product of the game plan. Through two weeks, the Jets have yielded seven passes for 57 yards and two touchdowns to opposing tight ends. Since opposing teams have taken advantage of the Jets’ linebackers, the Dolphins established Fasano early in the game. Two of Fasano’s five catches came on the team’s first drive as Tannehill became more acclimated to the game. Fasano demonstrated improved body control as he found soft spots in the defense and routinely beat Calvin Pace. Fasano isn’t overly athletic, but has become a key safety net for Tannehill. His development as a pass catcher is critical for this offense.

Week 4 - Fasano caught a quick out route for two yards to start the game. He was tackled instantly as the defender arrived with the ball. He made an impressive reception for a first down on third and six in between defenders. He also caught crossing route for eight yards with defender on his back. Fasano was a matchup problem when split wide and he caught a curl for nine yards against the smaller Greg Toler.

Week 5 - Receiving four targets, Fasano caught three, with a long of 13 yards. Probably the fourth or fifth option in the passing game, Fasano wasn’t needed much as Miami did their best to control the clock with the running game. Fasano had one catch in the red zone, finding an empty pocket in the zone coverage for 13 yards before getting tackled at the Bengal four-yard line.

Week 6 - Fasano was a check down option for Ryan Tannehill and not a significant factor when Miami was moving the ball down the field early in the game. Two of his targets came on third-and-long situations where receptions would not have come close to a first down. Fasano’s best play of the day was a staple for a tight end in the red zone. He leaked out at the goal line, came wide open in the back of the end zone, and Tannehill sold the play with a great play-action fake for a touchdown. Outside of deep leagues, Fasano has yet to show that he should be on fantasy rosters outside of a favorable matchup as a bye week replacement.

Week 8 - Anthony Fasano continues to terrorize the New York Jets. During his team’s fourth drive, Fasano ran a quick drag route across the back of the end zone and hauled in Matt Moore’s strike. However, Fasano only kept one foot in bounds and the touchdown was negated. Fasano would atone for this mistake during his team’s eighth drive. With his team back in the red zone, Fasano ran a four-yard corner route. Moore led Fasano to the back pylon and Fasano gingerly tapped both feet in bounds to sure the scoring play. Fasano displayed impressive hands and body control as he made the catch. This touchdown marked his fifth career touchdown against the Jets.

Week 9 - The veteran tight end had a clunker of a day in Indianapolis, catching one pass for eight yards on four targets. Fantasy owners of Fasano – the brave few – may have echoed the profane sentiments of the hot mic’d official at Lucas Oil Stadium in regards to Fasano’s quiet Week Nine performance.


Week 10 - Although he ran 28 pass routes in Week 10, Fasano was targeted just three times. He helped to cause Ryan Tannehill’s second interception, not being able to secure a well-thrown ball. Fasano has struggled mightily this season, catching just 25 passes in nine games. Besides being asked to block, Tannehill favors checking down to a running back, instead of looking for his tight end safety valve. That leaves “the Italian Stallion” with very little value.

Week 11 - It is hard to understand why Miami could only find two targets for one of their better passing weapons, especially considering the struggles the Bills have had versus the tight end in 2012. However, Fasano only caught one of his two targets, picking up eight yards. Fasano worked across the middle, catching the short toss form Tannehill before being dropped immediately. The Dolphin offense as a whole was clearly out of sync and is perhaps to blame for the paltry numbers from Fasano.

Week 12 - Fasano recorded one catch for ten yards. He did level a key block on a Reggie Bush run that sprung Bush and allowed the halfback to bounce to the outside for a twenty-two yard gain.

Week 13 - Fasano was minimally involved in the passing game as a short target. His lone reception came on a short hitch with plenty of room to roam after the catch. Later in the game, Tannehill missed Fasano low on a potential second reception. This was Fasano’s six straight game with just one reception as his role as decreased since Miami’s bye in Week 7.

Week 14 - Perhaps the best catch of the day came from the tight end. With the ball on the 3 yard line, Fasano ran a route to the corner of the end zone and Tannehill floated a ball over the defense. With the pass out of reach, Fasano dove and wrangled the ball with one hand, pulling it towards his body and securing the catch as his right knee dragged inbounds. His only other catch was an underneath route, and Fasano was tackled immediately.

Week 15 - Fasano had, by far, his best game of the season in Week 15. In fact, it had been two months since Fasano broke even 20 receiving yards in a game. He was in his usual role as a possession target, but two plays broke that pattern against Jacksonville. On a broken play, Tannehill found a wide open Fasano over the middle for 22 yards, one of Fasano’s rare highlight plays this year. In the fourth quarter, Fasano iced the game with a goal line touchdown as he came wide open. His six targets marked his second-highest total of the season and just the second time in 2012 that Fasano caught all of his targets. Outside of deep non-PPR leagues, it is tough to be excited about Fasano building on this game over the final two weeks of the season.

Week 16 - Fasano was targeted four times, with both catches coming on the Dolphins’ opening drive. Like everyone not named Bush, Fasano was really limited by the game script as Miami comfortably led for the majority of the game.

Week 17 - Fasano caught what was available to him against New England, which were only three of his six targets. Tannehill missed Fasano twice when pressure forced an adjustment in the pocket. Fasano came open on a corner route on third-and-long, but Tannehill was hit as he tried to get the ball downfield. On his three short receptions, Fasano gained yards after the catch on all three occasions. That has not been common for Fasano this season. Twice he dragged a defender for 3-4 yards and once he turned a quick out route into a sizeable gain. As an underperforming starting tight end, Fasano might have seen his final time with significant playing time as he will be an unrestricted free agent this offseason.