Here are the top 40 tight ends of this century, using the scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 point for every 10 yards. These are per-game numbers, showing all guys who started at least half the season.
Vernon Davis is on here twice, but notice that he’s not catching many passes. He averaged just 3.3 receptions last year, and he averaged only 3.5 back in 2010 (his first really big season).
Those are the two lowest catch averages on here. Only one other tight end, in fact, finishes below 4 catches per game (Dallas Clark caught 58 balls in 15 games in 2007). Over half of these guys average over 5 catches per game.
The 49ers are using Davis differently than other tight ends. Rather than settling in to soft spots in zones to catch short passes underneath, they’re trying to get him deep for big plays.
TOP 40 TIGHT ENDS SINCE 2000 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player, Team | St | No | Yards | TD | Pts |
2011 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 16 | 5.6 | 82.9 | 1.13 | 15.0 |
2010 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 10 | 5.0 | 78.2 | 1.00 | 13.8 |
2013 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 16 | 5.4 | 75.9 | 1.00 | 13.6 |
2012 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 11 | 5.0 | 71.8 | 1.00 | 13.2 |
2011 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 16 | 6.2 | 81.9 | .69 | 12.3 |
2004 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 15 | 5.4 | 64.3 | .87 | 11.6 |
2005 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 15 | 5.9 | 73.4 | .67 | 11.3 |
2009 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 16 | 4.9 | 60.3 | .81 | 10.9 |
2000 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 16 | 5.8 | 75.2 | .56 | 10.9 |
2013 | Julius Thomas, Den. | 14 | 4.6 | 56.3 | .86 | 10.8 |
2009 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 16 | 6.3 | 69.1 | .63 | 10.7 |
2004 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 16 | 6.4 | 78.6 | .44 | 10.5 |
2008 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 16 | 6.0 | 66.1 | .63 | 10.4 |
2009 | Owen Daniels, Hou. | 8 | 5.0 | 64.9 | .63 | 10.2 |
2009 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 16 | 4.9 | 72.3 | .50 | 10.2 |
2013 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 16 | 3.3 | 53.1 | .81 | 10.2 |
2012 | Jimmy Graham, N.O. | 15 | 5.7 | 65.5 | .60 | 10.1 |
2007 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 6.0 | 71.6 | .44 | 9.8 |
2010 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 5.9 | 62.6 | .58 | 9.8 |
2007 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 16 | 4.7 | 61.5 | .56 | 9.5 |
2011 | Aaron Hernandez, N.E. | 14 | 5.6 | 65.0 | .50 | 9.5 |
2003 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 16 | 4.4 | 57.3 | .63 | 9.5 |
2011 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 13 | 4.9 | 59.8 | .54 | 9.2 |
2007 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 16 | 6.2 | 73.3 | .31 | 9.2 |
2006 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 16 | 4.4 | 57.8 | .56 | 9.2 |
2009 | Brent Celek, Phil. | 16 | 4.8 | 60.7 | .50 | 9.1 |
2004 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 15 | 5.6 | 64.2 | .42 | 9.0 |
2013 | Jordan Cameron, Clev. | 15 | 5.3 | 61.1 | .47 | 8.9 |
2007 | Kellen Winslow, Clev. | 16 | 5.1 | 69.1 | .33 | 8.9 |
2005 | Jeremy Shockey, NYG | 15 | 4.3 | 59.4 | .49 | 8.9 |
2012 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 16 | 5.8 | 58.1 | .50 | 8.8 |
2012 | Heath Miller, Pitt. | 15 | 4.7 | 54.4 | .56 | 8.8 |
2010 | Jacob Tamme, Ind. | 10 | 6.7 | 63.1 | .40 | 8.7 |
2007 | Dallas Clark, Ind. | 15 | 3.9 | 41.1 | .73 | 8.5 |
2013 | Tony Gonzalez, Atl. | 16 | 5.2 | 53.7 | .52 | 8.5 |
2010 | Vernon Davis, S.F. | 16 | 3.5 | 57.1 | .46 | 8.5 |
2003 | Shannon Sharpe, Den. | 15 | 4.1 | 51.3 | .53 | 8.3 |
2013 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 4.6 | 53.2 | .50 | 8.3 |
2011 | Fred Davis, Wash. | 12 | 4.9 | 66.3 | .25 | 8.1 |
2006 | Tony Gonzalez, K.C. | 15 | 4.9 | 60.0 | .36 | 8.1 |
—Ian Allan