2011 Top 20 Fantasy Tight Ends
Fantasy Football Draft Guide – Cheat Sheets & Player Rankings – Ready to talk some Fantasy Football? Dave B has his early Fantasy Football rankings out and now it is time to talk Tight Ends. An elite Tight End is gold.
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But if you cannot get one early in your draft, don’t panic – there may be some Fantasy magic out there.
Tight Ends are a crapshoot – good luck!
Feel free to add any thoughts that you may have. Don’t be afraid to leave a comment – all queries are read and will be rebutted!
1. Antonio Gates (San Diego) – The only thing that will slow this guy down is injury as proven last year. He is simply the most dominant Tight End in the game – don’t worry about last season’s injury!
2. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis) – Clark was also hit by the injury bug during a very productive season. Peyton Manning made Jacob Tamme look like a Pro Bowler – Clark is head and shoulders above Tamme.
3. JerMichael Finley (Green Bay) – 24 years old, 6-foot-5 and 250 pounds with speed to burn. Finley is a top option in the best offense in the NFL – do you need more? I didn’t think so.
4. Jason Witten (Dallas) – Witten has been a main cog in the Dallas offense for years and 2011 shouldn’t be different. Another 1000 yards is likely but a drop in tds. may be likely as well due to the emergence of Dez Bryant and Miles Austin.
5. Vernon Davis (San Francisco) – Davis is clearly the best option in the 49ers passing game and the chemistry he has with Alex Smith is something that can’t be ignored. He is good for 800-1000 yards and 8-10 scores.
6. Owen Daniels (Houston) – Daniels had an injury plagued 2010 but recorded 22 catches, 271 yards and 2 TDs in the final 4 games of the 2010 season. He isn’t elite but he is firmly in the second tier of Tight Ends.
7. Zach Miller (Oakland) – Miller really came on last year despite some questionable quarterback play. He is the most reliable receiver on the Raiders roster – 900 yards and 6-8 scores is not a stretch.
8. Jimmy Graham (New Orleans) – Graham exploded on the scene last season and made everyone forget about Jeremy Shockey. He could be the Next Great Tight End.
9. Kellen Winslow (Tampa Bay) – Winslow had a very good season last year and with the buzz surrounding the Bucs offense going into 2011, Winslow could have another very solid year.
10. Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville) – Lewis scored 10 touchdowns last season – 10! Mike Sims-Walker is gone leaving Mike Thomas and Lewis as the only real receiving options for the Jaguars.
11. Chris Cooley (Washington) – Cooley was second in targets last season among Tight Ends and he is a very good receiving option. Six combined tds. in the last three seasons has me a tad concerned along with the uber-unsettled QB situation in Washington. [ad-8469823]
12. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta) – Some have Gonzo down the rankings but no one can deny his talent. Even if he has lost a step, Tony is worth 600-700 yards and 5-7 touchdowns.
13. Rob Gronkowski (New England) – Gronkowski could be a little higher in the rankings but the presence of Aaron Hernandez tarnishes Gronk’s value just a bit. He had 10 scores in 2010 – look for 5-7 in 2011.
14. Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit) – Great talent in an up-and-coming offense is reason for optimism for Pettigrew. However, Tony Scheffler is in Detroit to snake a few opportunities away from Pettigrew = fringe starter.
15. Dustin Keller (New York Jets) – Keller has the talent to be a starter and he may move up the receiving depth charts if Free Agency rapes the Jets like many think it may. He’s a decent option that could emerge a Fantasy starter by year’s end.
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16. Aaron Hernandez (New England) – Hernandez had a great early part of the 2010 season but tailed off possibly because of injury. Both Tight Ends are a huge part of the Pats attack. Draft him as a backup with hopes he’ll become your starter.
17. Todd Heap (Baltimore) – Heap is a huge injury risk. Add in the fact the he has two young backups that could snake some of his production and Heap doesn’t look that great. But if he can stay healthy and hold the other two off he’s good for 600 yards and 5-7 touchdowns.
18. Ben Watson (Cleveland) – Watson had an OK 2010 season but only scored three times. I can’t see 2011 being any different. He may surprise but as long as Colt McCoy is chucking, expect the unspectacular Watson to reign.
19. Brent Celek (Philadelphia) – Celek is a talented guy that seemingly got left in the cold by Michael Vick. The coaches know that if they want to keep Vick healthy he has to look for some good outlets – enter Brent Celek. He may be worth a shot!
20. Tony Moeaki (Kansas City) – Moeaki had a good rookie season by all accounts and is ready to build on that this year. His projections are low but his ceiling is high. Moeaki has upside and would be a good TE2 for anyone.
Pre-season is nearly upon us (we hope), so for the next few weeks we encourage you to be checking out our FANTASY FOOTBALL DRAFT GUIDE for all your rankings and analysis for the upcoming league drafts that you’re going to be participating in.
