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Over the last couple of seasons, the tight end position has been described as Rob Gronkowski and everybody else. Even with Tom Brady possibly suspended for the first four games of the year, the situation remains.
Gronk was mediocre at times last year, but for tight ends, that doesn’t mean much. He still finished well ahead of the rest of the league with 1,176 yards and 11 touchdowns.
With the days of Antonio Gates being an elite option long gone and Jimmy Graham a non-factor in Seattle, it’s time for someone new to step in.
The early consensus rankings at FantasyPros list Greg Olsen and Jordan Reed as the top competitors. Olsen’s ranking average comes out to 2.4, while Reed is close behind at 2.9. No one else is all that near with Travis Kelce closer to No. 5 than anything else. And that’s not too surprising.
According to last year’s ADP, six of the 11 tight ends drafted after Gronk finished outside of the top 11 in standard leagues. Graham was the ultimate bust, especially since he was rated with third-round value.
Picking your tight end is important, especially if you decide to go in on someone like Reed or Olsen this season after Gronk is gone.
Yes, they can be worth it. Reed was excellent in 2015, also finishing with 11 touchdowns as the second-best tight end. Yet, he was also undrafted in many leagues. Olsen lived up to his value for the most part with 1,104 yards, even with inconsistent options around him in the Carolina offense.
So if you miss out on Gronk and feel the time is right to grab a tight end, who’s the better choice?
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25 OCT 2015: Jordan Reed (86) of the Redskins celebrates his touchdown during the regular season game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the Washington Redskins at FedEx Field in Greater Landover, MD. (Photo by Andy Grosh/Cliff Welch Photography/Icon Sportswire)
Olsen is the simple answer. He has surpassed 1,000 yards in back-to-back seasons and remains a focal point for Cam Newton in the Panthers passing attack. He has at least 69 receptions in four-straight seasons and hasn’t had less than 816 yards in any of those campaigns. Of course, touchdowns have always been hard to come by and his seven last year were the most he’s had with Carolina.
Unfortunately, that’s not going to change. The Panthers have a ton of rushing touchdowns because they are a great red-zone running team.
Olsen is 31 years old, but according to him, doesn’t “anticipate slowing down anytime soon” and he plans on “playing for a good number of years remaining.” And there’s no reason not to believe him considering how he looked last season as Newton’s No. 1 option.
With expected less defensive attention this year, things should be just as good for Olsen. Kelvin Benjamin will steal targets, but he’ll also steal attention and the same can be said (maybe) for a hopefully improved Devin Funchess. Don’t forget Olsen had a career-high 84 receptions in Benjamin’s rookie season.
All that said, Jordan Reed put in better numbers last season with Kirk Cousins at the helm, catching 87 balls for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns. It should be noted that he only played in 14 games. Things went so well for him that Washington decided to extend his contract to 2021, signing a new five-year deal worth $46.5 million in the offseason.
But let’s not forget that he missed two games last season due to a concussion. In his three years in the league, Reed still hasn’t managed a full 16 games, playing in nine as a rookie and 11 in his second season. He’s a dynamic target that makes Washington have one of the best receiving corps in the league to go with DeSean Jackson, Pierre Garcon and rookie Josh Doctson. Even backup tight end Niles Paul and their trio of running backs are all able in the passing game.
As a safety blanket for if Reed gets hurt, Washington went out and signed veteran Vernon Davis to a one-year deal. I mean, the kid is great, but injuries are a part of him and need to be recognized when getting him on your fantasy squad.
Pushing for Reed in the fourth round of snake drafts or for decent money in auction leagues may not be worth it. He still barely finished above Olsen in fantasy scoring last year. And who’s to say he will keep up his numbers with Doctson now in the offense?
Doctson brings size and leaping ability to the table, which will help mightily in the red zone. Cousins even came out and said he thinks the same. Will those 11 touchdowns still be there for Reed?
Olsen and Reed are on a level playing field ranking wise, but it’s clear Olsen is the better, more consistent option at tight end and the only one worth risking in his current position.
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