NFL Tight Ends to watch 2010

This year’s group of NFL tight ends is marked by great depth. There is a great combination of experienced, superstar players as well as younger ones who have performed at a very high level yet are still capable of further developing their considerable tal

2010-08-25

This year’s group of NFL tight ends is marked by great depth. There is a great combination of experienced, superstar players as well as younger ones who have performed at a very high level yet are still capable of further developing their considerable talents. This position may have more players capable of being ranked number one than any other. Outside of kicker, tight end may be the most undervalued position in fantasy football, but there are a few tight ends that could put up numbers comparable to a team’s best wide receiver, and being ahead of the game on specific positions is very important to football betting. The little things make the biggest difference. Choosing a great tight end at the right point in a fantasy draft can propel a team over the top. Here are the top five options:
Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers- Although Gates is now 30 years old, he may have had his best statistical season yet last year. After minor injuries had limited his complete effectiveness in years past, he was injury-free last season and had a career-best 1,157 receiving yards to go along with 79 receptions and eight touchdowns. The former college basketball standout is so skilled due in large part to his explosiveness; his 14.6 yards per reception is the best for any NFL tight end with over 35 receptions. The future bodes well for Gates and he has many factors in his statistical favor. Not only is former red-zone favorite LaDainian Tomlinson now with the New York Jets, Vincent Jackson is suspended and will miss at least four games. Phillip Rivers’ dependence on Gates will only increase, especially in the short term. He may have more career years in the future.

Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers- Davis has always been teeming with talent and is finally beginning to deliver. He is as fast as many wide receivers and his characteristic speed parlayed into a breakthrough season last year, leading all tight ends with 13 touchdowns. He was not merely a red zone machine as he also accounted for 78 total receptions and 965 yards. There’s no doubt Davis has the potential for even more but the biggest question surrounding him is his attitude. Prior to last year, his first three seasons were marked by a petulance that prevented him from performing his best. Last year was much better but he’ll need to build on that. The other concern is that Davis won’t have a capable quarterback to get him the ball. Alex Smith, the current starter, has been rather erratic and there are major question marks surrounding his ability as a starting quarterback. The team’s backups haven’t proven to be much better either. However, Davis’ talent is so great that I briefly considered ranking him over Gates.

Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts- As Reggie Wayne benefits from being Peyton Manning’s top receiver, so does Clark benefit as his tight end. He has posted obscene numbers throughout the course of his career, including a staggering 100 receptions, as well as 1,106 yards and 10 touchdowns, last season. Clark has also maintained amazing consistency that shows no signs of ceasing. He could undoubtedly be argued for as the top tight end in the NFL. I believe Gates and Davis have slightly more upside for fantasy but if you play in a league where each reception counts for a point, Clark may be the number one tight end to take. Manning loves going to him in all situations and he’ll continue to have seasons with large numbers of receptions.

Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles- Celek was one of the great surprises in all of the NFL last season, going from unknown player to bona fide superstar. Celek caught 76 passes for 961 yards and eight touchdowns. He was a huge red zone target last year and his touchdown numbers should only increase. There may be a justified worry that Kevin Kolb will be able to pick up where Donovan McNabb left off at quarterback. However, there shouldn’t be a chemistry issue with Celek, who is great friends with Kolb and was a frequent passing target during Kolb’s two starts last year.

Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys- The only reason Witten isn’t ranked higher is because of his shortage of touchdowns. He only had two last season and four the year before, a shockingly low number for such an excellent player. Touchdowns aside, Witten has still achieved great stats. He had 94 catches for 1,030 yards last season and there’s reason to think his lack of touchdowns is a mere aberration. If anything, he has become a victim of his own skills. He is an excellent blocker as well and is an asset when blocking in red zone situations. However, he’s such an excellent player with great size and it seems like just a matter of time until he gets more chances and finds the end zone more. Witten will be a big factor in helping the Cowboys win the Superbowl, www.sportsbook.com has the Cowboys at +800 to win the Superbowl this coming season.

The depth at tight end doesn’t end with the top five. There are multiple players outside of this elite echelon who either are superstars or are capable of becoming superstars. Tight end is becoming an increasingly top-heavy position. As good as the 10 or so best at the position are, there’s a point in which the returns begin to quickly diminish. Unlike a position like running back, the difference between the best and the average is substantial. It’s important for fantasy owners to grab one of the elite players or be relegated to settling for a rather pedestrian player. Here’s the rest of the top 10:

6. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons- Even at 34 years old, Gonzalez is still easily one of the best tight ends in football. Similar to Antonio Gates, he is a former college basketball star who has tremendous hands. He had a prolific 2009 season in which he registered 83 catches for 869 yards and six touchdowns, a number that should increase as he remains a focal point of the Falcons red zone offense. He should only benefit from the more balanced offense Atlanta will have this year with Michael Turner’s return from injury.

7. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers- Finley is emerging as one of the NFL’s stars of the future. At just 23 years of age, he has already displayed the immense athleticism and production that promise to make him great for an extended period of time. His 55 catches, 676 yards, and five touchdowns last year look minor until it’s taken into consideration that he missed three games with injuries and came off the bench for much of the season. Now that Finley is the clear-cut starter, these numbers should skyrocket assuming he stays healthy. Furthermore, Finley has shown he can perform in the clutch. He caught six passes for 159 yards in the Packers’ playoff game last year. Aaron Rodgers clearly has confidence in him and this is a duo that should be great for years to come. Although Finley is currently my seventh best overall tight end, I’d recommend taking him first in keeper leagues. His youth and potential are similar to that of Vernon Davis but he gets the edge due to having a better quarterback.

8. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans- Daniels figures to take care of unfinished business this upcoming season. He was on his way to a tremendous season last year before an ACL injury forced him to miss the entire second half of the season. Daniels had an excellent first half of the season and had already accounted for 40 receptions, 519 yards, and five touchdowns before the injury. Some might fear Andre Johnson would cut into Daniels’ numbers but the fact is that Daniels is Matt Schaub’s number two option and provides a threat in and of himself. The only worry with Daniels is his ability to stay healthy. He’s ruptured his ACL three times but it appears his rehab from the latest incident is going well.

9. Visanthe Shiancoe, Minnesota Vikings- Shiancoe is a red-zone extraordinaire who excels near the goal line. His 11 touchdowns last season were second among all tight ends. After a middling career, he really found his stride last year with Brett Favre under center. A concern with Shiancoe, as is the case with Minnesota’s other pass catchers, is how they’ll perform if Favre decides to retire. Also, there is some concern that Shiancoe’s contribution to fantasy owners is too touchdown-dependent. His 56 catches and 566 yards were rather unimpressive compared with those at the position ranked ahead of him and if his touchdown figures dip, his value diminishes greatly.

10. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers- Miller continues to be the steadiest of performers for the Steelers. He caught 76 passes for 789 yards and six touchdowns last season, his best season in a stretch of consistency. Similar to Shiancoe, the biggest question surrounding Miller’s fantasy usefulness will be the continuity at his team’s quarterback position. Last year, The Steelers moved to a more high-octane passing offense behind Ben Roethlisberger, something that undoubtedly benefited Miller’s stats. However, Roethlisberger is suspended for the first four games and it’s yet to be seen how his backup will perform and who will have the job once Roethlisberger returns, let alone how the chemistry with the Steelers’ pass catchers evolves. The Steelers may return to a run-first mentality.

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