Herndon's star has fallen since his 2018 rookie campaign when he went for 39-502-4 as a member of the Jets. He was traded to the Vikings ahead of the 2021 season but caught just four passes for 40 yards and one touchdown despite appearing in 16 games. Now with the Saints, Herndon will see if he can catch on in a tight end room that has Adam Trautman and Taysom Hill entrenched at the top of the depth chart.

Tyler Kroft worked ahead of Herndon throughout camp, finishing second in target share (behind Corey Davis) from Zach Wilson in New York's three preseason games, spelling the end of any hype Herndon had garnered in a post-Adam Gase world. The 25-year-old arrives in Minnesota with Tyler Conklin as his only competition, though the former offers little confidence with just 31/287/3 receiving last year, even failing to become an average blocker and seeming "disinterested" at times over the summer. He continues to survive as a last-round TE in fantasy circles exclusively from the rapport he flashed with Sam Darnold (27/380/4) in 13 games together as rookies.

Tyler Kroft, meanwhile, started camp as the team's top tight end, working with the ones. Herndon's demotion makes sense after a horrific 2020 season and continued cringeworthy struggles in the team's springtime practices. Herndon last year was healthy for 16 games and posted a laughable 31/287/3 line in the league's worst offense. The tight end could be prominent in Jets offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur's offense, giving Kroft some fantasy appeal if he hangs on to the No. 1 spot through camp and the preseason. Kroft's career year came in 2017 with the Bengals, when he he caught 42 passes for 404 yards and seven touchdowns. It might be time for fantasy managers to stop trying to make Herndon a thing. 

A late-round darling over the summer for his proven rapport with Sam Darnold, Herndon failed every test imaginable in only his third year in the league in finishing with 31/287/3 despite staying healthy for all 16 games. Like most players who have flashed historically then failed to develop under Adam Gase, Herndon, 25 in February, will definitely be discussed in fantasy circles again if only because both Darnold and Gase are expected to land elsewhere in 2021. Expect Herndon to gather steam as a hot TE flier after New York's offseason shakeups.