Fantasy: 2017 Tight End Primer

Fantasy Position Primers

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Defenses

Tight Ends

Tight end projections are flatter than they have been in recent seasons, with questions about Rob Gronkowski's health, among others, and at least half-a-dozen tight ends appearing capable of claiming the top spot by season's end.

Below, we run down the list of tight ends you need to know as your prepare for your fantasy draft.

It's important to remember that these primers are not intended to be tiers for drafting. You can view our complete tight end rankings here.

Studs with injury concerns

Rob Gronkowski, Patriots - Could this be the year a new king is crowned? Gronk should still be the first tight end off the board in every league, but back surgery is no joke and it's possible his days of absolute dominance are over.

Jordan Reed, Redskins - Perhaps the player with the best chance of usurping Gronk's crown, Reed has never played a full 16 games in his career. He's the same high-risk, high-upside pick he was a year ago.

Tyler Eifert, Bengals - It's the same story as last year, with Eifert racing to return from an injury in time for training camp - and not a lot of optimism that he will be able to do it. Will we ever get to see Eifert healthy for all 16 games?

Last year's best

Travis Kelce, Chiefs - Kelce finished as TE1 in 2016, but his 138 fantasy points in standard leagues were about 50 points less than Rob Gronkowski put up as as the TE1 in either of the previous two seasons. Kelce is a good bet to repeat his stats, but the question is whether acquiring his floor is worth passing on the ceiling of others.

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings - Rudolph was 2016's TE3 in large part because Sam Bradford preferred short, high-percentage passes over taking shots downfield. That probably won't change, so Rudolph should continue putting up strong but unspectacular numbers.

Jimmy Graham, Seahawks - The days of Jimmy Graham flirting with 12 fantasy points per game and 200 on the season are over, but he can still be a dominant player when he's healthy. Graham finished as TE4 in 2016.

Diminishing returns

Greg Olsen, Panthers - Olsen led the Panthers in receiving for a fourth straight year in 2016 and finished as TE2, but saw his touchdown output drop to a mere three - none of which came over the final eight games. The 32-year-old probably hasn't hit a wall, but signs of decline are visible.

Delanie Walker, Titans - The Titans' draft picks (two receivers and a tight end in the first three rounds) suggest they believe they can no longer count on Walker, who turns 33 this summer, to be the focal point of their passing attack.

Antonio Gates, Chargers - Gates tied the all-time record for career touchdowns by a tight end last season and will surely break it this year, but it's difficult to expect much more out of him considering his age (37) and the excitement surrounding Hunter Henry.

Jason Witten, Cowboys - The Cowboys signed Witten to a five-year extension this offseason, but it was done purely for salary cap reasons. Witten is 35 and has dropped lower in the tight end rankings each of the last three seasons.

Still waiting

Eric Ebron, Lions - Ebron avoided having his fantasy value obliterated by the Lions drafting a tight end, but it still appears unlikely the former real-world first-rounder will ever live up to his potential.

Zach Ertz, Eagles - Ertz still has the talent to be a top-three fantasy tight end, but issues with consistency continue to hold him back. With all the Eagles' additions at receiver, it's hard to see Ertz getting enough targets to improve considerably on the approximately 825 yards and three touchdowns he's averaged over the last two seasons.

Coby Fleener, Saints - Brandin Cooks' departure could lead to Fleener seeing a few more passes, but is there any reason to believe he will do anything with them?

The next wave?

Hunter Henry, Chargers - Perhaps it's unfair to consider Henry a future star; with eight scores as a rookie, he may have already arrived. Double-digit touchdowns this year is a reasonable expectation.

Jack Doyle, Colts - Andrew Luck's tight end is a role dripping with fantasy upside, and it's a role Doyle has to himself after the departures of Coby Fleener and Dwayne Allen in the last two offseasons. Doyle is a limited athlete, but he's good enough to capitalize on Luck's passes.

Austin Hooper, Falcons - Hooper was relatively quiet as a rookie, but showed flashes. With defenses keying on Julio Jones and the Falcons' rushing attack, Hooper could be primed for a breakout year.

New surroundings

Martellus Bennett, Packers - Fantasy owners didn't get the bonanza they expected from Bennett after Rob Gronkowski's injury last season, but that likely had to do with Bennett battling ailments of his own. The "Black Unicorn" is on a new team now, but he didn't downgrade at quarterback.

Julius Thomas, Dolphins - Thomas was a huge bust in Jacksonville after shredding defenses in Denver, and now he'll get a shot at a fresh start in Miami. Whether he makes good on it could depend on his health and level of motivation.

Dwayne Allen, Patriots - The Patriots saw enough in Allen to trade for him, but he's unlikely to have much value as a fantasy asset unless Rob Gronkowski gets hurt.

Jared Cook, Raiders - Aaron Rodgers to Derek Carr is a downgrade, but perhaps not a huge one for Cook's fantasy value. We simply don't know what a tight end like Cook can do in the Raiders' system because the team has lacked talent at the position since Carr entered the league.

New blood

O.J. Howard, Buccaneers - The first tight end selected in the 2017 NFL Draft at 19th overall, Howard is a freak athlete who flashed at Alabama but bizarrely wasn't used much outside of two national title games. Rookie tight ends are rarely fantasy-relevant, but Howard has a chance to be if Jameis Winston decides to look his way often.

David Njoku, Browns - Drafted 29th overall, Njoku is a YAC monster who should feature in the Browns' offense after the team released Gary Barnidge. He probably won't be worth owning, as this offense won't score much, but keep an eye on him on the waiver wire.

Evan Engram, Giants - The Giants' selection of Engram at 23rd overall was curious, as his skill set (he's far more of a possession receiver than an in-line tight end) seems redundant on a team that just signed Brandon Marshall. The Giants say they will develop Engram as a traditional tight end, which likely means he's a least a year away from meaningful fantasy value.

Overlooked?

Cameron Brate, Buccaneers - The Buccaneers' selection of O.J. Howard in the first round of the draft doesn't necessarily spell doom for Brate, who caught eight touchdowns last season.

Zach Miller, Bears - The Bears don't exactly project to have a strong passing offense, which will scare many fantasy owners away from Miller. Maybe it shouldn't. Whether it's Mike Glennon or Mitchell Trubisky under center, the Bears' lack of outside receiving talent could funnel targets to Miller.

Jesse James, Steelers - The Steelers finally cut ties with free-agent bust Ladarius Green, which means it's James who will be the team's primary tight end. There is a lot of competition for touches in this offense, but James is a good bet to score a handful of touchdowns.

Fantasy Primers

• Quarterbacks
• Running Backs
• Wide Receivers
• Tight Ends
• Defenses

(Photos courtesy: Action Images)