Tony Romo, Gavin Escobar, Jason Witten's Post-Week 7 Fantasy Reaction

Gavin Escobar had four catches for 20 yards coming into Week 7. He'll leave Sunday's game against the New York Giants having more than tripled that yardage total.     

The second-year tight end was the recipient of two Tony Romo touchdown passes, one of 15 yards and another of 26 yards, as Dallas moved to 6-1 with a 31-21 win over its division rivals. Romo hit his backup tight end three times for 65 yards overall, setting or matching career highs all over the board.

Not sitting around with three catches or 65 yards is starter Jason Witten, who was targeted twice, catching both for 27 yards. Witten moved into second place on the all-time receiving yards list for tight ends, but some may wonder if that accomplishment will coincide with his being pushed to the side.

Player	Receptions	Yards	YPC	TDs	Targets
Gavin Escobar	3	65	21.7	2	3
Jason Witten	2	27	13.5	0	2

Escobar's sudden ascent into the lineup was a surprise, as the San Diego State product had been on the field for 20.4 percent of offensive snaps heading into Week 6, per Football Outsiders. James Hanna, who was neither a second-round pick nor very good at catching the football, had actually played more snaps this season due to his blocking ability.

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

"I guess it's tough to be patient," Escobar told reporters earlier this month. "You got to take advantage of your opportunities when your name is called, and that’s what I’m trying to do." 

Escobar has taken advantage the last two weeks, scoring on three of his four total receptions. (He made a two-yard touchdown reception in last Sunday's win over the Seattle Seahawks.) It's possible that he becomes a favorite red-zone target going forward. At 6'6" and 260 pounds, he has the size and athleticism to make plays over the top and underneath.

On the other side, this is far more likely to be a blip on the radar than a sign of things to come. Snap counts have not been released by the NFL yet for Week 7, but it did not appear as if Escobar was in on a discernibly higher number of plays. Hanna was still the primary blocking tight end in loaded fronts; Escobar just so happened to find himself open when he was on the field.

Outside of insanely deep keeper leagues, it's much ado about nothing. Witten's role isn't going to evaporate overnight, even if he's on pace for his worst numbers since his rookie campaign. The 32-year-old nine-time Pro Bowler has made five catches in a game only once this season and has totaled 51 yards and four catches over the last two weeks. The only vaguely retro Witten games came against New Orleans and Houston, where he accumulated a grand total of 11 points.

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

From a fantasy perspective, he remains ownable; you just can't be happy about starting him. Witten has essentially become Heath Miller, worth more in terms of name recognition than on-field production. I'd have no issue dropping him if the likes of Jordan Reed or Dwayne Allen were available in your league.

As for Romo, well, he remains what he's been all season: a perfectly good but not great fantasy option. His three touchdowns and 279 yards were more impressive for the poise and comfort he displayed than their fantasy value. Most weeks he'll be between the eighth- and 15th-best fantasy quarterback.

Completions/Attempts	Yards	YPA	TDs	INTs
17/23	279	12.1	3	1

By the end of the season, that consistency will probably push him well inside the top 10. But with DeMarco Murray taking the world by storm, rare will be the week that Romo is the reason you're getting a victory.

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