Early 2014 Consensus Rankings: Tight End

The end of the 2013 NFL regular season means the beginning of the dynasty fantasy football season. The off-season affects all active rosters in some way, from new free agent signings to the rookies of the 2014 NFL draft. With the offseason in full swing we at DLF, have taken time to overhaul the rankings system in order to better serve our wonderful followers of DLF.

The consensus top 20 tight ends were developed from the most recent rankings of eight of our DLF writers. These rankings reflect the way we see things heading into the 2014 season. It is never too early to get a start on 2014 so without further ado, I give you the DLF consensus top 20 tight ends.

1)     Jimmy Graham, TE NO

Graham was by far the top tight end in 2013. Averaging a hefty 19 PPR points per game, he finished sixth among all WR/TE and 1.5 fantasy points per game higher than Rob Gronkowski and almost five fantasy points per game higher than Vernon Davis, who finished third among tight ends. Graham is a major positional advantage at tight end and should be a first round pick in 2014.

2)     Rob Gronkowski, TE NE

Gronkowski averaged 17.5 points per game in the seven games he played this season before his season ended with a major knee injury. For the second consecutive season Gronkowski will spend the offseason rehabbing. His ceiling is closest to Graham, but Gronkowski needs to be on the field to put up fantasy points. He is a high risk high reward player.

3)     Julius Thomas, TE DEN

Thomas finally got his opportunity in 2013 and he responded to fantasy owners averaging 15.4 fantasy points per game. Thomas’ stock will continue to be high as long as Peyton Manning is slinging the pigskin in Denver.

4)     Jordan Cameron, TE CLE

Jordan Cameron flew out of the gate averaging 18 fantasy points per game the first eight games and 9.4 fantasy points per game the last seven. Cameron has the potential to be an elite tight end in the league. New offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan has done his fair share with big athletic tight ends. Cameron should continue to be productive, but the Browns need a consistent quarterback who can deliver.

5)     Vernon Davis, TE SF

Davis had another solid season in 2013 averaging 14.3 fantasy points per game. Davis was the primary second target with Michael Crabtree out for much of the season with an Achilles injury. Davis will be 30 at the start of the 2014 season, but he will continue to put up strong numbers in San Francisco.

6)     Jordan Reed, TE WAS

Reed was having a great season averaging 12.7 fantasy points per game. He had great chemistry with quarterback Robert Griffin III, but tailed off at the end of the season when he suffered a concussion in early November. Great news for Reed as he was given time to heal from the concussion, but he could be a risk moving forward if he were to suffer another concussion.

7)     Tyler Eifert, TE CIN

Eifert was the top tight end taken in the 2013 NFL draft. He has all the tools to be a TE1, but it is difficult to get excited about his 6.4 fantasy points per game. His timeshare with Jermaine Gresham will keep him from putting up monster production, but Gresham is only under contract through the 2014 season. Eifert’s breakout season may have to wait another year.

8)     Jason Witten, TE DAL

Witten will be 32 heading into the 2014 season and continued his streak of top ten fantasy production at the tight end position. Averaging 12.9 fantasy points per game, Witten and Tony Romo showed that they still have chemistry to play together. I expect Witten to play 3-4 more seasons and continue to put up elite tight end numbers.

9)     Zach Ertz, TE PHI

Ertz spent much of 2013 fighting for snaps with fellow tight end Brent Celek. He averaged 6.7 fantasy points per game in the second best offense in the National Football League. The Eagles know how to put up points very quick. Ertz was the primarily used in the passing game with a large percentage of Celek’s use in run blocking. Ertz will continue to be the fantasy tight end to own in Philadelphia for the next several years.

10)  Dennis Pitta, TE BAL

Pitta spent much of 2013 on the IR with designation to return. He was able to play the last four games of the season and by week 17 was playing 90% of the teams snaps. His 10.7 points per game was a small victory to fantasy owners that hung onto him, but his 2014 looks to be even better. New offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is no stranger to getting the tight end involved in the passing game. Expect a great year out of Pitta in 2014.

11)  Greg Olsen, TE CAR

Olsen was one of the primary pass catchers in the Carolina offense again in 2013. He led all Carolina pass catchers with 73 receptions and averaged 11.9 fantasy points per game. Look for Olsen to put up comparable numbers in 2014.

12)  Ladarius Green, TE SD

Green finally provided fantasy owners with a glimpse of the future in 2013. He played in every game, but only took more than 50% of the snaps in three games this season. In those three games he averaged 3 catches, 40 receiving yards and a touchdown. His average of  4.54 points per game is low, but if he starts taking some the snaps from teammate Antonio Gates he could potentially produce elite fantasy numbers.

13)  Kyle Rudoph, TE MIN

When Norv Turner landed in Minnesota as the offensive coordinator, it immediately helped Kyle Rudooph’s stock. His nine fantasy points per game was not a staggering number, but the quarterback position in Minnesota leaves a lot to be desired. If Minnesota gets a quarterback early in the 2014 Draft, it may increase Rudolph’s stock even more.

14)  Dwayne Allen, TE IND

Allen gets a high rank based on his rookie season. He missed much of his sophomore season with a hip injury and Coby Fleener was able to carry the load for the season. It was apparent the Colts were missing Allen especially with the loss of Reggie Wayne. Allen will likely be in a timeshare at the position, but in an offense that has a talented quarterback like Andrew Luck it is possible for many offensive players to be fantasy relevant.

15)  Martellus Bennett, TE CHI

Bennett finished the 2013 season in the top ten among fantasy tight ends averaging 10.7 fantasy points per game. Marc Trestman revitalized an offense and with two big wide receivers on the edges it opened things up for Bennett between the numbers. Bennett had a career year and with an offseason to develop more chemistry in the offense, Bennett could post top five numbers in 2014.

16)  Charles Clay, TE MIA

Clay emerged in the Dolphins offense after Dustin Keller suffered a serious knee injury ending his 2013 season. Clay’s 11.8 fantasy points per game allowed him to finish seventh among all tight ends in fantasy football. Clay is only 24 and may have the tight end position locked down in Miami moving forward.

17)  Travis Kelce, TE KC

Kelce had a lot of hype heading into the 2013 season but a knee injury derailed his rookie season. He is a mobile pass catching tight end who creates mismatches against linebackers. His ability to play more like a wide receiver than a tight end makes him a desirable player to own at the position. He is not a great blocking tight end, but it appears the Chiefs offense could use another pass catcher to take some of the pressure away from Dwayne Bowe.

18)  Coby Fleener, TE IND

Fleener’s 8.55 fantasy points per game is not staggering, but neither was the Colts offense in 2013 after Reggie Wayne went down with a knee injury. Fleener did have moments where he appeared to be gaining confidence and was productive for fantasy owners. I still like Allen as the primary receiving tight end in Indianapolis, but either way in a timeshare fantasy owners lose valuable production.

19)  Tim Wright, TE TB

Wright was listed in some leagues as a WR/TE and was able to produce solid numbers at 8.3 fantasy points per game. Wright showed that he is versatile and can play the position effectively. If the 23 year old gets a chance to take all the snaps in 2014 he could be a borderline TE1.

20)  Jermaine Gresham, TE CIN

Gresham had a down season where he shared some of the snaps with newly acquired rookie Tyler Eifert. He is a former first round pick who still has a lot of talent, but will remain in a timeshare in 2014. That is the last year of his contract and he could get a nice payday if he hits the market after this season.

The consensus top 20 did not go without other players being named that did not make the cut. In the order that they missed the cut but were nominated by one of our writers (age in parentheses):

Rob Housler (26) – Housler is a talented tight end who had trouble staying healthy in 2013. He could move up the list if he can remain upright and produce for fantasy owners in 2014.

Jared Cook (27) – Fantasy owners were stoked after week one with Cook. He is a talented pass catcher, but obvious offensive play calling issues and Sam Bradford’s injury reduced his production in 2013.

Joseph Fauria (24) – He scored three touchdowns in week six alone. Fauria did very little damage outside of the redzone in 2013, but the 24 year old rookie has a nice future ahead if he makes plays at the goal line.

Gavin Escobar (24) – Escobar did see some snaps in Dallas this season. He is a talented tight end who should start to see more playing time in 2014 even with Jason Witten still on the roster.

Owen Daniels (31) – Daniels is getting older and may only have one season left in the tank. Garrett Graham is emerging and it’s likely Daniels will no longer be a Texan after this season.

Did we leave someone off the list that you think should be on there? Let us know in the comments.