Posted by admin in Tight Ends on May 18th 2009 and last modified on May 29th 2009. (Print This)
1) Antonio Gates – SDC – TE
Look for Gates to be healthy, and productive in 2009. Although he is getting older, his red zone looks will continue, and his hands are still as good as ever.
2) Jason Witten – DAL – TE
He’s still a stud, but without T.O. to distract the defense, he should get more double coverage. Romo will still look his way, but it will be tough yardage. I also think he is overdue for an injury, so keep that in mind when you reach for him early in the draft.
3) Tony Gonzalez – KAN – TE
Gonzo came back to life in 2008 with 10TD’s!! He should continue to be a force in Atlanta with Matt Ryan hurling the rock, but his numbers may suffer with Turner and the rest of Atlanta’s talented offense stealing yards and touches. I still anticipate that he will get red zone looks, and he will finish among the top 10 TE’s in 09 barring any major injuries.
4) Dallas Clark – IND – TE
Clark is a great established TE in a well oiled machine. Without Harrison stealing his receptions, he should see lots of looks. Manning to Clark seems to be a common denominator.
5) Kellen Winslow – Tampa – TE
Will this guy ever put together two good seasons?? Injuries, and his attitude continue to hamper his production. Hopefully with a new head coach and a fresh start in Tampa, he can get back to business and put together a season that we admire. Look for a slow start here, but he is a great option for the middle and late season crunch.
6) John Carlson – SEA – TE
I was big on Carlson last year, and although he didn’t live up to my full expectations, his biggest obstacle was adapting to the QB of the week. Hopefully with a healthy QB this year, he can finally strut his stuff. Look for Carlson to make his mark in Seattle this year.
7) Owen Daniels – HOU – TE
Daniels should continue to rack up the yards in Houston, and although he may not find the endzone every game, he should get plenty of looks. Look for him to finish the year as a top 10 TE.
8) Chris Cooley – WAS – TE
Cooley managed to grab quite a few receptions last year, but he only found the endzone once all season. I expect that to change in 09, but alot of his success depends on Washington’s aging offense, which could spell trouble for Cooley.
9) Dustin Keller – NYJ – TE
This guy could be the next Gates.. He’s had some great games, and I expect to see more of those as the Jets focus on the short game, rather than Favre throwing bombs all over the field. He’s another Sleeper pick that could win you a championship if the cards play out right.
10) Zach Miller – OAK – TE
Is he a TE or another Wide out for Oakland?? This guy gets the rock early and often!! If he only found the endzone more, then his value would be much higher! Look for him to get his fair share once again in 2009 as Oakland continues to rebuild.
11) Tony Scheffler – DEN – TE
This guy has all the talent in the world, and yet he can’t get the playing time that he deserves. Look for his flashes of brilliance to continue under new coach Josh McDaniels. More of the same is expected for Scheffler, unless McDaniels can learn to use this stud. He could be a nice Sleeper in your draft, so be sure to watch the pre-season to see how they decide to use him.
12) Greg Olsen – CHI – TE
Olsen has all the talents to make it bigtime, but his QB and his pal Desmond Clark have left him out of the headlines. I would expect him to see the majority of the workload and the looks this year, and more red zone production. 5 TD’s for 2008 was decent, but he should top that in 09!
13) Heath Miller – PIT – TE
With a new contract in hand, he should be motivated to at least help his offense. He is a proven favorite of Big Ben’s, and he is a reliable option week in and week out. However, be aware that his backup Matt Spaeth could minimize his production in 2009 as Miller’s age starts to catch up with him!
14) Kevin Boss – NYG – TE
Last year, this guy was supposed to blow up when Shockey left, and it never happened!! Boss found out that it’s not as easy when your coach wants to pound the rock. He’s got the talent, but he may need get on Mannings good side if he wants to remain a fantasy option.
15) Anthony Fasano – MIA – TE
Fasano showed us last year that he can put up some numbers, but the question is when and how often will he produce? His inconsistency will continue in 2009 as Miami looks to establish a true offensive presence, and his duties may be split with teammate David Martin.
16) Brent Celek – PHI – TE
Unfortunately Celek will see more blocking then passing downs this year, which will certainly hurt his value. His few red zone looks will allow for some fantasy value, but don’t look for too much value for a TE in Philly.
17) Todd Heap – BAL – TE
This talented young TE has become a victim of endless injuries, and a terrible offense. Look for his woes to continue, although if he can manage to stay healthy, he could be one of the few passing options left in Baltimore!
18) Visanthe Shiancoe – MIN – TE
Visanthe should see more work for the Vikings this year, and I expect that his numbers will continue to improve. The play-action should make him a great red zone target, and he could be a nice TE sleeper if Minnesota can spread the ball around.
19) Jeremy Shockey – NOR – TE
No Shock here… Over-rated! His big debut in New Orleans didn’t leave much to be desired, and Drew Brees had a fantastic season. If he was going to have a big year, it would have been last year, so I think our friend mr. shockey may be fighting for a job at the end of 2009!
20) Bo Scaife – TEN – TE
As Kerry Collins becomes more comfortable in the pocket, Scaife’s targets should continue to improve. He is a talented TE on a good team, so I would expect him to pickup where he left off in 2008, and have a good season.
21) Donald Lee – GRE – TE
22) Stephen Spach – ARI – TE
23) Marcedes Lewis – JAC – TE
24) Vernon Davis – SFO – TE
25) Benjamin Watson – NEP – TE
26) Ben Utecht – CIN – TE
27) Desmond Clark – CHI – TE
28) Leonard Pope – ARI – TE
29) L.J. Smith – BAL – TE
30) Billy Miller – NOR – TE
31) Dante Rosario – CAR – TE
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