I’ve been posting a dynasty list each weekend, focusing not on 2017 but the long term – looking for guys with breakout potential and considering how many good years players have left. I’ve been cycling through the four key positions, and I’m back to tight ends this week.
I believe Zach Ertz is the easy No. 1 at this position. He’s really good, the Wentz-Ertz combo will be in place for years, and I think Ertz is less of an injury risk than some of the other elite guys.
I’ve got Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce next in line. With Gronkowski, you get the insane production, but I’m not sure how long his career will list. Kelce is probably a better long-term investment, and I don’t think he’ll be hurt if Alex Smith moves on in the offseason. We’ll find out more about Patrick Mahomes this weekend, but I think he help Kelce in short order.
After those three veterans, I would turn my attention to the young guys. Hunter Henry, Evan Engram and O.J. Howard are all 23 years old, and I think they’ll all have great careers.
Eric Ebron has been playing a lot better in recent weeks, so I’m putting him in the top 10. I think he’s the biggest upwards climber since I last looked at tight ends (about a month ago).
Jimmy Graham has been scoring a lot of touchdowns, but he’s a 31-year-old who’ll be a free agent and I’m not sure where he’s playing next year. Not in Seattle, I think.
Immediately outside the top 10, I’m going with a pair of really young tight ends who haven’t done much of anything yet – Jonnu Smith and David Njoku. You might not be able to count on those guys for good production in 2018, but they should eventually get there.
About 30 tight ends in, I’ve got a pair of young prospects who are probably available in the vast majority of leagues. Nick Vannett might start for Seattle (assuming Jimmy Graham leaves), and I think there’s some chance New England develops Jacob Hollister into a good pass-catching tight end. I saw him go over 100 yards in a preseason game.
With dynasty rankings, I try to hit a different position each weekend. For previous installments (QB, RB, WR) click on the “Previous Issues” link on the right side of the screen.
DYNASTY RANKINGS, TIGHT ENDS | |||
---|---|---|---|
Rk | Tm | Player | Age |
1. | PHI | Zach Ertz | 27 |
2. | NE | Rob Gronkowski | 28 |
3. | KC | Travis Kelce | 28 |
4. | LAC | Hunter Henry | 23 |
5. | NYG | Evan Engram | 23 |
6. | TB | O.J. Howard | 23 |
7. | IND | Jack Doyle | 27 |
8. | MIN | Kyle Rudolph | 28 |
9. | DET | Eric Ebron | 24 |
10. | SEA | Jimmy Graham | 31 |
11. | TEN | Jonnu Smith | 22 |
12. | CLE | David Njoku | 21 |
13. | NYJ | Austin Seferian-Jenkins | 25 |
14. | TB | Cameron Brate | 26 |
15. | CIN | Tyler Eifert | 27 |
16. | WAS | Jordan Reed | 27 |
17. | BUF | Charles Clay | 28 |
18. | CAR | Greg Olsen | 32 |
19. | TEN | Delanie Walker | 33 |
20. | ATL | Austin Hooper | 23 |
21. | CHI | Adam Shaheen | 24 |
22. | IND | Erik Swoope | 25 |
23. | LAR | Gerald Everett | 23 |
24. | OAK | Jared Cook | 30 |
25. | DAL | Rico Gathers | 23 |
26. | PIT | Vance McDonald | 27 |
27. | SF | George Kittle | 24 |
28. | LAR | Tyler Higbee | 24 |
29. | ARI | Ricky Seals-Jones | 22 |
30. | SEA | Nick Vannett | 24 |
31. | NE | Jacob Hollister | 24 |
32. | MIA | Julius Thomas | 29 |
33. | CIN | Tyler Kroft | 25 |
34. | HOU | C.J. Fiedorowicz | 26 |
35. | NO | Coby Fleener | 29 |
36. | DAL | Jason Witten | 35 |
37. | SEA | Luke Willson | 27 |
38. | BAL | Maxx Williams | 23 |
39. | PIT | Jesse James | 23 |
40. | ARI | Jermaine Gresham | 29 |
41. | DET | Michael Roberts | 23 |
42. | SF | Garrett Celek | 29 |
43. | GB | Richard Rodgers | 25 |
44. | CLE | Seth DeValve | 24 |
45. | DEN | Jake Butt | 22 |
46. | MIN | David Morgan | 24 |
47. | HOU | Ryan Griffin | 28 |
48. | JAC | Marcedes Lewis | 33 |
49. | NYJ | Jordan Leggette | 22 |
50. | WAS | Vernon Davis | 33 |
51. | DEN | Austin Traylor | 24 |
52. | NE | Martellus Bennett | 30 |
53. | PHI | Trey Burton | 26 |
54. | BUF | Nick O’Leary | 25 |
55. | KC | Demetrius Harris | 26 |
56. | GB | Lance Kendricks | 29 |
57. | HOU | Stephen Anderson | 24 |
58. | NO | Josh Hill | 27 |
59. | BAL | Benjamin Watson | 37 |
60. | NE | Dwayne Allen | 27 |
—Ian Allan