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Tight end rankings

Ertz looks like No. 1 tight end in dynasty formats

I update the dynasty rankings from time to time. I circle between QB, RB, WR and TE, re-stacking the overall board. Of these groups, tight ends is by far my least favorite – definitely the hardest of the four.

More so than the other position, you quickly get into measuring players with drastically different qualities.

The first three, I think, are pretty easy. I’ve got Zach Ertz at No. 1. He’s only 26, he’s been durable, and he’s really cutting it up right now. In his last 12 games, he’s caught 84 passes for 911 yards. Just 4 TDs, but I think he’s going to go well over 1,000 yards, and he looks like he’s going to be a good long-term player.

Two other players I like, and they both wear No. 87. Rob Gronkowski is remarkably productive; if I had more confidence in his ability to stay on the field, he’d be the runaway No. 1. (These are dynasty rankings, making durability/longevity more important). Travis Kelce isn’t a great scorer but catches plenty of balls; he went for a league-high 1,125 yards last year and was close to 900 in each of the two previous seasons. Kelce is a year younger and a lot more durability.

But after those three, I have to kind of throw my hands up in the air. Jordan Reed and Tyler Eifert have been very good, but I have very little confidence in their ability to stay on the field.

Martellus Bennett and Jimmy Graham have been good in the past, but they’re both 30 and having lesser years so far. They need to turn things around, and how long can they remain effective? Graham is in a contract year, so I imagine he’ll be playing elsewhere next year (which could be a good thing).

And then there are a host of promising young tight ends who look like they will develop into stars. Hunter Henry, Evan Engram, O.J. Howard, David Njoku. And even a couple of second-round rookies are in this group – Jonnu Smith, Gerald Everett. With all of these players, they’re not great right now. You’re selecting them because you think they’ll become great.

The other group are the old guys right at the end of their careers. Delanie Walker, Greg Olsen (injured) and especially Jason Witten and Antonio Gates. With them, they might be productive, but they might have under 30 games left in their careers.

So it’s a difficult process.

I do it by hand, going through the list by hand, placing and re-placing the guys until the list feels right. I’m assuming standard scoring. And I’m assuming a league of about 12 teams, with each team having a starting tight end and multiple backups.

DYNASTY TIGHT END RANKINGS
RkTmPlayerAge
1.PHIZach Ertz26
2.NERob Gronkowski28
3.KCTravis Kelce27
4.LACHunter Henry22
5.NYGEvan Engram23
6.WASJordan Reed27
7.INDJack Doyle27
8.GBMartellus Bennett30
9.SEAJimmy Graham30
10.CINTyler Eifert27
11.MINKyle Rudolph27
12.TENJonnu Smith22
13.TBO.J. Howard22
14.CLEDavid Njoku21
15.BUFCharles Clay28
16.TBCameron Brate26
17.TENDelanie Walker33
18.CARGreg Olsen32
19.DALJason Witten35
20.ATLAustin Hooper22
21.OAKJared Cook30
22.LARGerald Everett23
23.DETEric Ebron24
24.SFGeorge Kittle23
25.PITJesse James23
26.LACAntonio Gates37
27.INDErik Swoope25
28.NYJAustin Seferian-Jenkins24
29.CHIZach Miller31
30.NOCoby Fleener29
31.HOUC.J. Fiedorowicz25
32.MIAJulius Thomas29
33.ARIJermaine Gresham29
34.CHIAdam Shaheen23
35.JACMarcedes Lewis33
36.HOURyan Griffin27
37.NEJacob Hollister23
38.DALRico Gathers23
39.BALMaxx Williams23
40.DENVirgil Green29
41.CLESeth DeValve24
42.WASVernon Davis33
43.LARTyler Higbee24
44.BALBenjamin Watson36
45.NEDwayne Allen27
46.SEALuke Willson27
47.PITVance McDonald27
48.CINTyler Kroft24
49.DETMichael Roberts23
50.BUFNick O’Leary25
51.NYJJordan Leggette22
52.NOJosh Hill27
53.KCDemetrius Harris26
54.GBLance Kendricks29
55.DENJake Butt22
56.PHITrey Burton25
57.NYGRhett Ellison29
58.SFGarrett Celek29
59.BALNick Boyle24
60.DENAJ Derby26

—Ian Allan

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