Photo: Jim Brown, USA Today Sports

If you have lost Mark Andrews as a dynasty contender, this can be a difficult time.

The Mark Andrews season-ending injury throws the tight end position into turmoil. Since 2016, Mark Andrews has been the only tight end other than Travis Kelce to finish TE1 overall. To put Andrews into context, in his career entering this season, he had been targeted on 24.9% of his routes, a 99th percentile outcome among tight ends with 200 routes since 2008. In his career, Andrews has produced 2.18 career yards per route run, a 100th percentile outcome among those tight ends. To put Andrews’s season into context, Andrews has 1.96 yards per route run this season. This season is the second worst of his career, but he ranks fifth in the league among qualifiers.

Addressing Your Loss

Contending teams with Mark Andrews can find themselves in a desperate place.

First, address the issue with options available on the waiver wire.

Second, do not trade Mark Andrews.

As a general rule of thumb, you should be acquiring injured star players when they become discounted. The corollary is that you should not trade injured star players when they become discounted. If you must move Mark Andrews, make a dynasty trade. A trade of Andrews should not be for a package including a downgrade at tight end. For contending teams, acquiring T.J. Hockenson for Andrews is the ideal blend of draft pedigree, scoring potential, and longevity.