RealGM Analysis
Tight Ends
Tier 1: Jimmy Graham
Tier 2: Rob Gronkowski
Tier 3: Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Vernon Davis
Tier 4: Kyle Rudolph, Greg Olsen, Owen Daniels, Antonio Gates, Brandon Myers, Jared Cook, Jermichael Finley
Tier 5: Martellus Bennett, Brandon Pettigrew, Jermaine Gresham, Fred Davis, Dwayne Allen, Ed Dickson
Tier 6: Dustin Keller, Jordan Cameron, Coby Fleener, Zach Miller, Tyler Eifert, Rob Housler, Heath Miller, Brent Celek, Marcedes Lewis
* Players in bold are those players that I expect to significantly outperform their average draft position based on current ADP.
Analysis:
The tight end position shares many similarities to the catcher position in fantasy baseball – a few top notch options, followed by a significant drop-off with a large group bunched together. The way things shape up, 10 weeks of Gronk has more value than all but one tight end for the full season. Just like WR, you will find solid value in the fourth and fifth tiers, and no need to rush to select a TE unless Graham or Gronkowski fall further than expected in your draft.
As for the strategy here, personally I would not select a TE before my seventh pick. I’d rather have three RBs, two WRs and one QB in hand before I pick my first TE. Starting a TE from the fourth tier is more than acceptable, so wait to pick a TE until after you’ve solidified your QB, RB and WR spots.
Finally, a quick rapid-fire note as to why I think each player in bold has a good chance to outperform his ADP:
Brandon Myers: As Myers showed while with the Raiders, he’s a solid offensive weapon. The Giants will be a pass happy team, and with the upgrade at QB, Myers should see an increase in production.
Jared Cook: A popular sleeper, Cook will be featured in the Rams offense, and will be used all over the place, including the backfield. He has the potential to become a top 5 TE.
Dwayne Allen: Allen had a very nice rookie season, and look for him to build upon that with an also quickly improving Andrew Luck.
Other Fantasy Previews:
Neema Hodjat is the fantasy sports expert for RealGM. He can be reached via email at nhodjat@gmail.com and followed on twitter at @NeemaHodjat.
