There have been some nice tight ends over the last 20 years. Tony Gonzalez, Antonio Gates, Shannon Sharpe and Jason Witten have had a lot of good reasons. But Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham have raised things to a new level.
In this century (that is, since 2000) they’ve averaged over 12 fantasy points per game in a season five times. Only one other tight end has reached that level – Gates in 2010.
Only 24 other tight ends have averaged even 9 points per game over a season. Fantasy football is about trying to find players who’ll give you an edge, and Gronkowski and Graham fit that mold.
Here be the numbers, and these are adjusted to account for missed games. They’re per start numbers, with catches, yards, touchdowns and fantasy points (using scoring system of 6 points for touchdowns and 1 for every 10 yards).
TOP TIGHT ENDS OF THIS CENTURY | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rk | Year | Player | St | No | Yards | TD | Pts |
1. | 2011 | Rob Gronkowski | 16 | 5.6 | 82.9 | 1.13 | 15.0 |
2. | 2010 | Antonio Gates | 10 | 5.0 | 78.2 | 1.00 | 13.8 |
3. | 2013 | Jimmy Graham | 16 | 5.4 | 75.9 | 1.00 | 13.6 |
4. | 2012 | Rob Gronkowski | 11 | 5.0 | 71.8 | 1.00 | 13.2 |
5. | 2011 | Jimmy Graham | 16 | 6.2 | 81.9 | .69 | 12.3 |
6. | 2014 | Rob Gronkowski | 15 | 5.5 | 74.9 | .80 | 12.3 |
7. | 2004 | Antonio Gates | 15 | 5.4 | 64.3 | .87 | 11.6 |
8. | 2005 | Antonio Gates | 15 | 5.9 | 73.4 | .67 | 11.3 |
9. | 2009 | Vernon Davis | 16 | 4.9 | 60.3 | .81 | 10.9 |
10. | 2000 | Tony Gonzalez | 16 | 5.8 | 75.2 | .56 | 10.9 |
11. | 2013 | Julius Thomas | 14 | 4.6 | 56.3 | .86 | 10.8 |
12. | 2009 | Dallas Clark | 16 | 6.3 | 69.1 | .63 | 10.7 |
13. | 2004 | Tony Gonzalez | 16 | 6.4 | 78.6 | .44 | 10.5 |
14. | 2008 | Tony Gonzalez | 16 | 6.0 | 66.1 | .63 | 10.4 |
15. | 2009 | Antonio Gates | 16 | 4.9 | 72.3 | .50 | 10.2 |
16. | 2013 | Vernon Davis | 16 | 3.3 | 53.1 | .81 | 10.2 |
17. | 2012 | Jimmy Graham | 15 | 5.7 | 65.5 | .60 | 10.1 |
18. | 2014 | Julius Thomas | 12 | 3.6 | 40.8 | 1.00 | 10.1 |
19. | 2007 | Jason Witten | 16 | 6.0 | 71.6 | .44 | 9.8 |
20. | 2010 | Jason Witten | 16 | 5.9 | 62.6 | .58 | 9.8 |
21. | 2014 | Antonio Gates | 16 | 4.3 | 51.3 | .75 | 9.6 |
22. | 2007 | Antonio Gates | 16 | 4.7 | 61.5 | .56 | 9.5 |
23. | 2011 | Aaron Hernandez | 14 | 5.6 | 65.0 | .50 | 9.5 |
24. | 2003 | Tony Gonzalez | 16 | 4.4 | 57.3 | .63 | 9.5 |
25. | 2014 | Jimmy Graham | 16 | 5.3 | 55.6 | .63 | 9.3 |
26. | 2011 | Antonio Gates | 13 | 4.9 | 59.8 | .54 | 9.2 |
27. | 2007 | Tony Gonzalez | 16 | 6.2 | 73.3 | .31 | 9.2 |
28. | 2006 | Antonio Gates | 16 | 4.4 | 57.8 | .56 | 9.2 |
29. | 2009 | Brent Celek | 16 | 4.8 | 60.7 | .50 | 9.1 |
30. | 2004 | Jason Witten | 15 | 5.6 | 64.2 | .42 | 9.0 |
—Ian Allan