Fantasy Index

Factoid

Tight ends

More teams featuring tight ends in the red zone

I notice as I pick through the numbers and blend them with what I have on record that we need to pay attention to tight ends as scorers. More teams are making better use of this position in the red zone. Probably 8-9 teams will be led in touchdown catches by tight ends.

That’s how it played out last year, with guys like Gary Barnidge, Delanie Walker and Jordan Reed really kicking butt. Tyler Eifert outscored A.J. Green. And Zach Miller shockingly lead the Bears in touchdown catches.

That’s how it’s been going in recent years. Over the last four years, 34 tight ends have either lead their team in touchdown catches or shared the lead. At a glance, it looks something like this.

TIGHT ENDS LEADING TEAMS IN TOUCHDOWN CATCHES
Team2012201320142015
ArizonaWRWRWRWR
AtlantaWRGonzalezWRWR
BaltimoreWRWRWRWR
BuffaloChandlerWRWRWR
CarolinaOlsenOlsenWRWR
ChicagoWRWRWRZ.Miller
CincinnatiWRWRWREifert
ClevelandWRWRWRBarnidge
DallasWRWRWRWR
DenverWRWRJ.ThomasWR
DetroitWRWRWRWR
Green BayWRWRWRRodgers
HoustonO.DanielsG.GrahamWRWR
IndianapolisWRWRFleener/AllenWR
JacksonvilleWRM.LewisWRWR
Kansas CityWRRBKelceWR
MiamiFasanoC.ClayWRWR
MinnesotaRudolphWRWRRudolph
New EnglandGronkowskiWRGronkowskiGronkowski
New OrleansWRGrahamGrahamWR
NY GiantsWRWRWRWR
NY JetsCumberlandCumberlandWRWR
OaklandWRWRWRWR
PhiladelphiaWRWRWRWR
PittsburghH.MillerWRWRWR
San DiegoWRWRGatesRB
San FranciscoWRV.DavisWRWR
SeattleWRWRRBWR
St.LouisWRCookKendricksWR
Tampa BayWRWRWRRB
TennesseeJ.CookD.WalkerWRWalker
WashingtonWRWRWRJ.Reed

Now compare that to what the position looked like back at the start of the century. Back in those days, the standard was for about four teams each year to be lead in touchdown catches by tight ends. At that time, more teams were trying to get the ball to wide receivers.

The same numbers as above, only for the 2000-03 season …

TIGHT ENDS LEADING TEAMS IN TOUCHDOWN CATCHES (2000-03)
Team2000200120022003
ArizonaWRWRRB-WRWR
AtlantaWRCrumplerWRCrumpler
BaltimoreSharpeWRWRWR
BuffaloWRWRWRWR
CarolinaWRWallsWallsWR
ChicagoWRWRWRWR
CincinnatiWRRBWRWR
ClevelandA.SheaWRWRWR
DallasJ.HarrisWRWRWR
DenverWRWRWRSharpe
DetroitWRSloanWRWR
Green BayWRFranksWRWR
Houston----WRWR
IndianapolisWRWRWRWR
JacksonvilleWRWRWRWR
Kansas CityWRGonzalezWRGonzalez
MiamiWRWRMcMichaelWR
MinnesotaWRWRWRWR
New EnglandWRWRFauriaWR
New OrleansWRWRWRWR
NY GiantsWRWRWRWR
NY JetsWRWRWRWR
OaklandWRWRWRWR
PhiladelphiaWRWRWRRB
PittsburghWRWRWRWR
San DiegoF.JonesWRWRWR
San FranciscoWRWRWRWR
SeattleWRWRWRWR
St.LouisWRRBWRWR
Tampa BayWRD.MooreWRWR
TennesseeWRWRWRWR
WashingtonWRWRWRWR

This kind of trend strengthens the notion that in fantasy leagues, it doesn’t make sense to require teams to start just one tight end. With that format, there are too many good ones to go around, and it devalues the position – much as what happens with quarterbacks. So better, I think, to either have teams start two tight ends, or have them start an additional receiver, which can be either a wide receiver or a tight end.

—Ian Allan

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