Mason Taylor Fantasy Overview

2024 Summary

College Production

Taylor set LSU TE records for career receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,308).

As a true freshman, he notched 38 grabs and 414 yards, out-producing sophomore WR Brian Thomas Jr.

Taylor’s production declined in 2023 (36-348-1) as Thomas and Malik Nabers took center stage. But the TE rebounded for career highs in catches (55) and yards (546) last fall.

Efficiency Metrics

Let’s isolate Taylor’s 2024 production.

Among 35 TEs with 50+ targets, he ranked:

• 18th in catch rate
• 27th in yards after catch per reception
• 30th in yards per catch
• 31st in yards per route run

He posted just an 11.1% Dominator Rating – 17th among 21 Combine TEs.

Those are underwhelming finishes. Taylor, however, proved reliable with an excellent 1.8% drop rate. It’s also worth noting that he turned just 21 in May, so he likely hasn’t peaked yet.

Offensive Context

LSU lost Nabers and QB Jayden Daniels to the NFL. They elevated QB Garrett Nussmeier, a candidate to go No. 1 overall in the 2026 draft.

Nussmeier ranked fifth in the country in pass yards, boosted by a high-volume attack. He averaged 40.3 passes per game.

Injury History

Remember Taylor’s down 2023?

Well, the production dip might not have been entirely due to his talented teammates. Taylor sustained an ankle injury that September and dealt with lingering pain.

Otherwise, he’s proven durable as a college athlete.

2025 Expectations

Projected Role & Competition

HC Aaron Glenn said the team has a “clear vision” for how to utilize Taylor.

“Mason is exactly who we thought he was,” Glenn said at rookie camp. “He has dynamic movements. He can really catch the ball. He did a good job catching the ball away from his body. He’s quick to bring it in and get north and south exactly like we want.”

There’s a chance Mason finishes second in targets behind Garrett Wilson.

Just consider the Jets’ WR depth:

• Josh Reynolds
• Allen Lazard
• Tyler Johnson
• Malachi Corley
• Arian Smith

None of the veterans hit 550 yards last season, while Smith profiles as a low-volume deep threat.

Mason doesn’t have much competition at TE, either. Veteran options include Jeremy Ruckert (35 catches in three seasons) and Stone Smartt (31 catches in three seasons).

Supporting Cast

QB Justin Fields signed a two-year deal in March. He’s set to start ahead of veteran backup Tyrod Taylor.

Fields’ hot and cold passing tendencies add a layer of uncertainty here. Fields enters 2025 with a career yards per attempt of 7.0; a career completion rate of 61.1%.

This O-line looks improved, though, and that might lessen some of the blocking responsibilities for Taylor. The Jets boast a pair of highly athletic tackles in LT Olu Fashanu and RT Armand Membou.

It’s at least noteworthy to see how TE Pat Freiermuth – another Round 2 pick – performed alongside Fields in 2024. The situations are similar, with the Jets presenting a clear No. 1 WR (as George Pickens did) and a likely run-based offense.

In Fields’ six starts, Freiermuth averaged:

• 4.3 targets
• 3.7 catches
• 32.3 yards
• 0.33 TDs

Freiermuth finished at TE12, TE12, TE15, TE2, TE14, and TE28 over that stretch.

Of course, he was a fourth-year TE last fall, so this isn’t an apples-to-apples comparison.

Coaching & Offensive Scheme

The Jets are on their sixth OC since 2017 after hiring Tanner Engstrand, a first-time play-caller.

The former Lions passing-game coordinator has ties to Ben Johnson and Jim Harbaugh. Engstrand mentioned both guys as influential while noting his initial background in a West Coast offense.

The 43-year-old spent the past five seasons with Johnson, gaining a front-row seat to one of the NFL’s top offenses.

Since Johnson took over as OC in Detroit in 2022, the Lions have ranked fourth, third, and second in yards and fifth, fifth, and first in points.

Johnson’s units were known for their creativity, namely in pre-snap motion and play-action concepts. If Engstrand adapts to his personnel, it’s reasonable to expect a run-centric approach in 2025.

We’ll search for clues about offensive scheme and tendencies this summer.