Fantasy Index

Factoid

Tight ends

Old tight ends can be gold tight ends

Nobody wants to select an old tight end. Yet, there are some viable candidates this year that are getting up there in years. Antonio Gates is 36. Jason Witten is almost as old. Delanie Walker is 32, and Greg Olsen is 31. Gary Barnidge turns 31 in September. At what point do you start downgrading these guys?

It’s always easy to say that it’s better to give up on a player a year too early rather than a year too late, but the reality is that it’s not that uncommon to see older tight ends putting up good numbers.

Here’s the list of the 100 most productive tight ends of this century – of the past 16 seasons. Twenty of these guys (in bold) were at least 30 when the season started.

Not to suggest we should forget about the younger guys. Of the top 8 names on this list, none are older than 26.

MOST PRODUCTIVE TIGHT ENDS SINCE 2000
YearPlayerAgeNoYardsTDPoints
2011Rob Gronkowski, N.E.2290132718240.7
2013Jimmy Graham, N.O.2686121516217.5
2011Jimmy Graham, N.O.2499131011197.0
2014Rob Gronkowski, N.E.2582112412184.4
2015Rob Gronkowski, N.E.2672117611183.6
2009Vernon Davis, S.F.257896513174.5
2004Antonio Gates, S.D.248196413174.4
2000Tony Gonzalez, K.C.249312039174.3
2009Dallas Clark, Ind.30100110610170.6
2005Antonio Gates, S.D.2589110110170.1
2004Tony Gonzalez, K.C.2810212587167.8
2008Tony Gonzalez, K.C.3296105810165.8
2009Antonio Gates, S.D.297911578163.7
2013Vernon Davis, S.F.295285013163.0
2015Jordan Reed, Wash.258795211161.2
2015Gary Barnidge, Clev.297910439158.3
2007Jason Witten, Dall.259611457156.5
2010Jason Witten, Dall.289410029156.2
2014Antonio Gates, S.D.346982112154.1
2007Antonio Gates, S.D.27759849152.4
2015Greg Olsen, Car.307711047152.4
2012Jimmy Graham, N.O.25859829152.2
2003Tony Gonzalez, K.C.277191610151.6
2013Julius Thomas, Den.256578812150.8
2014Jimmy Graham, N.O.278588910148.9
2007Tony Gonzalez, K.C.319911725147.2
2015Delanie Walker, Tenn.319410886146.8
2006Antonio Gates, S.D.26719249146.4
2009Brent Celek, Phil.24769718145.1
2012Rob Gronkowski, N.E.235579011145.0
2007Kellen Winslow, Clev.248211065142.6
2012Tony Gonzalez, Atl.36939308141.0
2015Tyler Eifert, Cin.245261513139.5
2010Antonio Gates, S.D.305078210138.2
2014Greg Olsen, Car.298410086136.8
2004Jason Witten, Dall.22879806136.0
2013Tony Gonzalez, Atl.37838598135.9
2010Vernon Davis, S.F.26569147135.4
2013Jordan Cameron, Clev.25809177133.7
2005Jeremy Shockey, NYG25658917133.1
2013Jason Witten, Dall.31738518133.1
2011Aaron Hernandez, N.E.21799107133.0
2014Martellus Bennett, Chi.27909166131.6
2012Heath Miller, Pitt.29718168131.6
2010Marcedes Lewis, Jac.265870010130.0
2001Tony Gonzalez, K.C.25739176129.7
2011Tony Gonzalez, Atl.35808757129.5
2007Chris Cooley, Wash.25667868128.6
2007Dallas Clark, Ind.285861611127.6
2005Todd Heap, Balt.25758557127.5
2006Alge Crumpler, Atl.28567808126.0
2014Coby Fleener, Ind.25517748125.4
2003Shannon Sharpe, Den.35627708125.0
2011Jermichael Finley, G.B.24557678124.7
2011Jason Witten, Dall.29799425124.2
2009Tony Gonzalez, Atl.33838676122.7
2009Visanthe Shiancoe, Minn.295656611122.6
2014Travis Kelce, K.C.24678626122.2
2006Tony Gonzalez, K.C.30739005122.0
2001Marcus Pollard, Ind.29477398121.9
2012Jason Witten, Dall.3011010393121.9
2002Todd Heap, Balt.22688366121.6
2015Travis Kelce, K.C.25728755121.5
2014Julius Thomas, Den.264348912120.9
2008Dallas Clark, Ind.29778486120.8
2011Antonio Gates, S.D.31647787119.8
2005Alge Crumpler, Atl.27658775119.7
2005Chris Cooley, Wash.23717747119.4
2002Tony Gonzalez, K.C.26637737119.3
2008Jason Witten, Dall.26819524119.2
2015Benjamin Watson, N.O.34748256118.5
2009Kellen Winslow, T.B.26778845118.4
2008Antonio Gates, S.D.28607048118.4
2013Charles Clay, Mia.24697597117.9
2013Greg Olsen, Car.28738166117.6
2011Vernon Davis, S.F.27677926115.2
2009Jason Witten, Dall.279410302115.0
2009Heath Miller, Pitt.26767896114.9
2010Rob Gronkowski, N.E.214254610114.6
2012Greg Olsen, Car.27698435114.3
2004Alge Crumpler, Atl.26487746113.4
2014Delanie Walker, Tenn.30638904113.0
2006Todd Heap, Balt.26737656112.5
2005Jason Witten, Dall.23667576111.7
2011Dustin Keller, NYJ25658155111.5
2006Chris Cooley, Wash.24577346111.4
2013Antonio Gates, S.D.33778724111.2
2011Brent Celek, Phil.26628115111.1
2000Shannon Sharpe, Balt.32678105111.0
2009Greg Olsen, Chi.24606128109.2
2012Dennis Pitta, Balt.27616697108.9
2011Brandon Pettigrew, Det.26837775107.7
2012Owen Daniels, Hou.29627166107.6
2000Freddie Jones, Ariz.25717665106.6
2013Martellus Bennett, Chi.26657595105.9
2006Kellen Winslow, Clev.23898753105.5
2012Kyle Rudolph, Minn.22534939105.3
2004Randy McMichael, Mia.25737914105.1
2010Chris Cooley, Wash.28778493104.9
2012Brandon Myers, Oak.26798064104.6

—Ian Allan

Fantasy Index