Fantasy Football Positional Rankings 2008 - Tight Ends
This post will cover our positional rankings for tight ends. Here’s what you’ve missed so far:
Here are the top 20 tight ends for 2008
- Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
75 catches, 984 yards, 9 TDs
It is just unfair that a guy that is 6′4″ and 260 pounds can move like he can. Gates is still the best tight end in football, but it isn’t as clear cut as it used to be. His stats are down from where they were two years ago, but if you can complain about the above numbers from last year from a tight end, allow me to introduce you to a brick wall you can talk to. Gates had to have offseason surgery on his toe, and his availability for the opener is somewhat in question. That is the only reason to consider taking another TE besides Gates. The Chargers other options to throw the ball to have not improved, and Philip Rivers’ best bet is still numer 85, and he’s yours too. Given his health, I would think you have to knock his stock down a round or so, but still should be the first tight end of the board. I almost never draft Gates in any of my fantasy leagues. Not because I don’t like him, but someone usually grabs him before I would be willing to. - Kellen Winslow, Cleveland Browns
82 catches, 1,106 yards, 5 TDs
He might be a punk, but Winslow knows how to play football, no doubt about that. He has never enamored himself to me (not that he cares) with the way he talks or conducts himself, but there are no “nice guy” points in fantasy football. Even with the emergence of Braylon Edwards, Winslow’s production didn’t take a hit. In the long run, I think that having a stud wideout will only help Winslowas he won’t continue to be the focal point of the defense. He needs to improve his touchdown numbers, but a guy that size should have no trouble making open space in the end zone. The only concern to have with Kellen is the injury problems, including that horrible motorcycle accident he got himself into. He hasn’t missed a game yet in his two year career, so you can’t look too far into that. - Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
96 catches, 1,145 yards, 7 TDs
After two so-so seasons, Witten officially broke out and became one of the best tight ends in football. In 2007, he caught 30 more passes for almost 400 more yards, and six more scores. Witten knows how to get the tough yards over the middle of the field, and he can go deeper as well because it is tough for a linebacker to cover him. The Cowboys certainly have plenty of options to throw the ball to, but when they get down near the end zone, it is tough to find a better option than the 6′5″, 261 pound Witten who is absolutely owning any space he wants. Expect another big year from Witten, although don’t be surprised if he loses 10-15% off of his reception and yards numbers. - Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City Chiefs
99 catches, 1,172 yards, 5 TDs
Tony G had his best season in a few years in 2007 as he nearly reached the century mark in receptions and flew past 1,000 yards. It was pretty surprising too, because between Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle, the Chiefs had nothing that resembled a passing game all season long. Gonzalez might not be the number one tight end anymore, but he still will put up great numbers for the position, and you can take it to the bank that he will catch 80+ balls for 900+ yards and at least five touchdowns in 2008. - Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
66 catches, 786 yards, 8 TDs
It took me a while to come to the grips of Cooley’s value, but the Redskins obviously love the guy around the endzone as he caught 21 touchdowns over the past three seasons. He catches plenty of regular passes as well, and has turned himself into one of the better options at tight end in fantasy football. Cooley needs Jason Campbell to turn himself into a real NFL quarterback, and if that happens who knows where he might end up. A high end of stats for him could be 80 catches, 900 yards, and 10 TDs, no more than that. - Jeremy Shockey, New Orleans Saints
57 catches, 619 yards, 3 TDs (14 games)
On paper, trading Jeremy Shockey to one of the greatest places in the US to party might seem like a bad idea for his concentration on football. But guys like Shockey, who carry a chip on their shoulder, will act like he has everything to prove in 2008. In my opinion, the match couldn’t be better. Now the Giants have certainly opened things up from their offense in the 80s and 90s when it was basically three clouds of dust and a punt, but I wouldn’t exactly call them dynamic. The Saints love to throw the ball, and do 50 times a game, and that’s what Shockey wants to do, catch the ball. He still gets the dropsies from time to time, and has known to be a whiner when he isn’t getting the ball. But I think that this will be a newly motivated Jeremy Shockey and I wouldn’t be surprised to see him go over 1,000 yards and near 10 scores. - Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
47 catches, 566 yards, 7 TDs
Miller has yet to establish himself as an integral part of the Steelers offense, as his 47 catches last year were his career high. What he has established himself as, is one of Big Ben’s go to guys when they are in the red zone. In his three year career, Miller has caught 18 touchdowns, which among tight ends gives him more than Jason Witten, Tony Gonzalez, and Kellen Winslow over that time period. So in leagues that really count touchdowns heavy (which is most), Miller is a very valuable guy that you can get later in drafts especially if you missed out on one of the top few options. - Benjamin Watson, New England Patriots
36 catches, 389 yards, 6 TDs (12 games)
Physically, Watson is both a freak of nature, and fragile. He is yet to play a full season, but the flashes he has shown while he has been in there get you excited about what could be. He missed four games due to an ankle injury that just go away, and after scoring five times in the first five games, he managed just one the rest of the way. The Pats have so many weapons on offense around the goal line, it is hard to say when they will target Watson. You have a jump ball to Moss, underneath to Welker, Faulk out of the backfield, a trick play to Mike Vrabel, you never know with New England. Watson is a high risk/high reward pick, if he ever lives up to his potential he could be scary good. However, if he continues the way his career has started, he will be nothing more than average. - Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers
23 catches, 239 yards, 1 TD (5 games)
Speaking of freaks, this guy has all the talent and tools to be the best tight end in the game, unfortunately, he doesn’t seem to have it between the ears. So far in his career, it seems that Davis has read too many of his own press clippings, done too many Under Armour commercials, and thought he was as good as advertised. Problem is, in the NFL you have to prove it on Sunday. Not only has Vernon failed to do that, but he hasn’t been on the field for too many Sundays his first three years in the league. He was starting to look better last year before he was lost to injury, and the hope is that offensive coordinator Mike Martz will be opening up the offense and utilizing Davis in ways he hasn’t been so far in San Francisco. - Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens
23 catches, 239 yards, 1 TD (5 games)
If Todd Heap could ever stay healthy, he would vault up these rankings. Unfortunately, in two of the last four seasons, he has had injuries that cost him a lot of time. But, if you go back to 2005 and 2006 when he played a full schedule, you would see that he averaged 74 catches, 800 yards, and 6.5 touchdowns. He will have a problem with Kyle Boller being a below average quarterback, but sometimes those kind of guys really look towards their tight end as a security blanket. Especially when they are 6′5″ and 252 pounds like Heap. - Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
58 catches, 616 yards, 11 TDsAfter years of being nothing more than average, Clark broke out with the injury to Marvin Harrison and became a popular target of Peyton Manning. In fact, he had career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. He almost had more touchdowns in 2007 (11), than he had for the entire rest of his career (14). Don’t expect that trend to continue. After Manning looks at all of his other options, Clark is always open for him and has become an important part of the Colts offense. To say he will get 50 catches again isn’t crazy, to think he will break 10 touchdowns again is crazy in my opinion. Look for 48 catches, 550 yards, and six or seven scores as Clark has another nice year.
- Owen Daniels, Houston Texans
63 catches, 768 yards, 3 TDsIt took a little while for fantasy owners to realize the kind of season that Daniels was having for a tight end that you had never heard of before. Unlike a lot of the guys that are listed above him, Daniels isn’t a fast guy who is big. He is more of a Mark Bavaro type for you old time Giants fans. He is a big guy who lumbers down the middle and finds the first down marker. He is there for his quarterback when his other options break down. There is still plenty of room in the NFL for guys like this, and although he isn’t a gamebreaker who will score 10 TDs, he should improve on his scoring stats.
- Alge Crumpler, Tennessee Titans
42 catches, 444 yards, 5 TDs (13 games)Crumpler was once the tight end for a young, exciting quarterback who couldn’t throw named Michael Vick. Now he is the tight end for a young, exciting quarterback who can’t throw named Vince Young. Considering the success that he had in Atlanta a few years back, it could translate to his time in Tennessee. At his best, Crumpler would catch 60+ passes and once scored eight touchdowns. Given the lack of scoring that happens when the Titans are on offense, I wouldn’t be holding my breath for more than four scores from Crumpler.
- Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
39 catches, 391 yards, 2 TDs (12 games)The Bears took a while to try to integrate their 2007 first round pick into the offense after he missed the first two games of the season due to a preseason injury. He has the size and the hands to be a BIG part of the Bears offense, and is the one guy on the second half of this list that has a chance to move far up these rankings. If they were smart, the Bears would play a similar role to the way the Steelers use Heath Miller, and if that happens, Olsen has a chance to pull down a good number of touchdowns.
- Tony Scheffler, Denver Broncos
49 catches, 549 yards, 5 TDs (12 games)Like many young quarterbacks, Jay Cutler found his tight end to be a fine security blanket. He missed the first four weeks of the season, but he averaged nearly five catches a game over the last eleven weeks. He isn’t particularly fast or athletic, but he knows where to be when Jay Cutler needs him, and he has great hands for a guy his size. He wouldn’t be my first choice, as I believe last year’s numbers are his ceiling, but if you just never found time to draft a TE and the good options are all gone, Scheffler could help you out.
- Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders
44 catches, 444 yards, 3 TDsIt seems like there are two types of tight ends in the league at this point. The big, fast wide receiver types, and the big, burly, slow, good hands guys. Miller fits into the “less than fast” category, but at 6′5″ is a tall target for JaMarcus Russell to look for IF the Raiders offense ever gets past midfield. Put Miller on a halfway decent team and he might be in the top ten, but on Oakland, his opportunities to score are pretty limited.
- L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
22 catches, 236 yards, 1 TD (9 games)Donovan McNabb likes to look to Smith when his other options have broken down, but a few different injuries last year made his season basically a loss. The two previous seasons he averaged 55 catches, almost 650 yards, and four touchdowns, which is probably where he will end up again this year if he can remain on the field.
- Leonard Pope, Arizona Cardinals
23 catches, 238 yards, 5 TDs (10 games)Many expected a big second season from the big tight end in Arizona, and although he scored more touchdowns, the rest of his numbers basically stayed the same although he did play less games. With the great wide receivers the Cardinals have, they don’t throw to their tight end too much, but given his size (6′8″, 257 pounds), they should be looking to him more for the tough catch, or over the middle near the end zone. Pope could be another guy to climb up the rankings for next year.
- Randy McMichael, St. Louis Rams
39 catches, 429 yards, 3 TDsOnce a great option for the Dolphins, McMichael picked the worst possible year to join the Rams. The whole team was a disaster from start to finish due to injuries and inconsistency, the offense had a terrible time trying to score points. You have to figure that everything will be better for the Rams in 2008, and expect McMichael’s numbers to increase, but not to a degree that makes him a good option at tight end.
- Marcedes Lewis, Jacksonville Jaguars
37 catches, 391 yards, 2 TDsThe Jags’ first round pick in 2006, Lewis has been a pretty big disappointment in his first two seasons as he only has 50 catches, and just over 500 yards, with three scores. He has the size and the hands to be a good fantasy tight end, but he needs to be a bigger part of Jacksonville’s plans on offense. To do that he must show some consistency, and have the Jaguars offense to get much better.
That’s it for our fantasy football tightend rankings. We still have kickers and defensive players left to go. Please let us know what you think using the comment form below. If you need help with your upcoming draft, or your league, don’t hesitate to email ryan at ryan@fightingchancefantasy.com
