Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham have changed the way fantasy owners look at the tight end position. Tony Gonzalez and Antonio Gates first increased the value of the position, but Gronk and Graham became the first fantasy football difference makers at tight end in 2011.
Fantasy Football Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends for 2012
For the first time in fantasy history, a tight end could be taken in the first round, and Gronk and Graham aren’t likely to fall out of the second. Times are certainly changing.
But if you miss out on one of the two big catches at the position, there’s not a lot of depth. The elite options are head and shoulders above the rest of the crop. Much like quarterback, it’s worth waiting on a tight end if you can’t land an elite option.
After the jump, I’ll note some overvalued and undervalued tight ends for this season and give my full rankings for the position. Check out my other 2012 Fantasy Football Rankings as well.
Overvalued
Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints, ADP: 16.1
I can't help but get the feeling that Jimmy Graham is being slightly overvalued. No doubt, he is the second best tight end behind Rob Gronkowski, but as I mentioned in my breakdown of the quarterbacks, the absence of Sean Payton is sure to have some effect on the Saints' offense. Drew Brees and Payton were gunning for the record books in 2011. There won't be quite as many pass attempts to go around in 2012.
Undervalued
Kyle Rudolph, ADP: Undrafted
Most fantasy owners will be left waiting until the later rounds to grab a tight end. Those looking for a diamond in the rough may turn towards Kyle Rudolph, who has reportedly been one of the early stars of Vikings training camp. Christian Ponder is bound to improve, and the young signal caller will likely be reliant on his big tight end without too many quality receiving options behind Percy Harvin.
Fire away in the comments with any comments, complaints, questions or suggestions for fantasy article you would like to see on the site. Feel free to contact me on Twitter with any questions as well @MatthewFairburn
| 1. Rob Gronkowski | New England Patriots | Bye: 9 | |||
| Rob Gronkowski is a touchdown machine and Tom Brady's favorite weapon. He may not match his touchdown total from 2011, but he is a near lock for double digits, which was once unheard of from a tight end. | ||
| 2. Jimmy Graham | New Orleans Saints | Bye: 6 | |||
| Like I mentioned above, Graham is clearly among the elite tight ends in the NFL However, I'm not sure he'll be able to replicate his numbers without Sean Payton at the helm. His current ADP is a bit too high. | ||
| 3. Antonio Gates | San Diego Chargers | Bye: 7 | |||
| Many people think Antonio Gates has lost a step. While that may be true, Gates closed out 2011 on fire, showing the same burst that made him the best tight end in the league for years. With Phillip Rivers expected to improve in 2012, Gates should also improve as a result. | ||
| 4. Vernon Davis | San Francisco 49ers | Bye: 9 | |||
| Vernon Davis is a freakish talent. Quarterback play holds him back a bit, but he still has tons of upside. He didn't really get into a groove until late in the season and into the playoffs. Davis clearly gained the trust of head coach Jim Harbaugh and quarterback Alex Smith. | ||
| 5. Jermichael Finley | Green Bay Packers | Bye: 10 | |||
| Jermichael Finley was a bit of a disappointment in 2011. Still, it's easy to forget he had 750 receiving yards and eight touchdowns, both career highs. More importantly, he received a contract that will keep him motivated. He currently has a head injury, which will be something to monitor throughout the preseason. But here's hoping he can build on it in 2012. | ||
| 6. Aaron Hernandez | New England Patriots | Bye: 9 | |||
| Aaron Hernandez is overshadowed by Gronkowski is New England, but he is also a huge part of the offense. He still managed over 900 yards and seven touchdowns in 2011. More of the same can be expected in 2012. | ||
| 7. Jason Witten | Dallas Cowboys | Bye: 5 | |||
| Tony Romo is one of the most productive quarterbacks in the NFL, and Jason Witten has been one of his favorite targets for years. Witten is always among the top ten tight ends, and 2012 should be no different. | ||
| 8. Jacob Tamme | Denver Broncos | Bye: 7 | |||
 | Peyton Manning will be looking for any familiar target to lean on as he transitions to a new team. Jacob Tamme will be the most familiar face for Manning. That should mean something. | ||
| 9. Kyle Rudolph | Minnesota Vikings | Bye: 11 | |||
| As mentioned above, Kyle Rudolph could be a featured piece in Minnesota's offense. I'm confident he'll be a top ten tight end this season. | ||
| 10. Coby Fleener | Indianapolis Colts | Bye: 4 | |||
| Because of his relationship with Andrew Luck, Coby Fleener has a lot of fantasy upside in 2012. | ||
| 11. Tony Gonzalez | Atlanta Falcons | Bye: 7 | ||
 | Tony Gonzalez was deceptively productive in 2011, but one has to wonder when there will be a major drop off in his production. | |
| 12. Brandon Pettigrew | Detroit Lions | Bye: 5 | ||
| A talented tight end in one of the highest volume passing offense in the NFL makes for a useful fantasy commodity. Of course, Pettigrew will have to stay healthy. | |
| 13. Jermaine Gresham | Cincinnati Bengals | Bye: 8 | ||
| Jermaine Gresham will never be the No. 1 option in Cincy's offense with A.J. Green around, but he's a talented target for a quarterback who is still developing. He'll get his. | |
| 14. Owen Daniels | Houston Texans | Bye: 8 | ||
| Owen Daniels is often injured, but he and Matt Schaub have developed a solid connection over the years. | |
| 15. Fred Davis | Washington Redskins | Bye: 10 | ||
| Rookie quarterbacks lean on their tight ends. Fred Davis will be Robert Griffin III's pacifier in his rookie season, but the young signal caller won't be without weapons in Washington. Davis may not be as productive as he was a year ago. | |
| 16. Dustin Keller | New York Jets | Bye: 9 | ||
| Dustin Keller has the talent to be an every week starter in fantasy football, but the quarterback situation in New York will cause owners to proceed with caution. | |
| 17. Jared Cook | Tennessee Titans | Bye: 11 | ||
| Jared Cook provides a ton of upside late in fantasy drafts. He has tons of talent and finished 2011 strong. | |
| 18. Greg Olsen | Carolina Panthers | Bye: 6 | ||
| Jeremy Shockey's departure should open the door for Greg Olsen to receive more targets in a developing passing attack. | |
| 19. Brent Celek | Philadelphia Eagles | Bye: 7 | |
 | Brent Celek, like many tight ends in this draft range, is hit or miss. The Eagles passing offense should improve this year, though, so maybe he'll see a bump in production. |
| 20.Ed Dickson | Baltimore Ravens | Bye: 8 | |||
| Ed Dickson is not a lock to be the No. 1 tight end in Baltimore, but if he wins the job, he should be a decent reserve in fantasy leagues. | ||
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