2006 Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings

Based on a combined touchdown/yardage scoring system

 

  1. Antonio Gates, San Diego

Unlike some of the other fantasy positions, no debate exists over who owns the top spot at tight end. Gates may have taken a slight hit in the touchdown department, but he had more receptions than Marvin Harrison and Santana Moss. The only tight end to top the 1,000-yard plateau in 2005, keep in mind Gates missed Week 1 because of a team-induced suspension. The talk of new quarterback Philip Rivers negatively impacting Gates’ value is nonsensical. It should boost his potential, because he’s one of just two reliable targets, along with LaDainian Tomlinson.

YR  TEAM                   REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   San Diego             81           964                         13

05   San Diego             89           1,101                      10

 

  1. Chris Cooley, Washington

Cooley’s not the first option in the ‘Skins offense, and he’s probably not even the second on most plays. But he is the most reliable, and that has its benefits. While Santana Moss enjoyed a career year, he still managed just two more scores than Cooley. And Moss has hit his ceiling. As much as head coach Joe Gibbs and new offensive coordinator Al Saunders want to stretch the field with an improved stable of playmakers, Cooley is still the money man in the possession game.

YR  TEAM                   REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Washington          37           314                         6

05   San Diego             71           774                         7

 

  1. Jeremy Shockey, N.Y. Giants

Shockey hasn’t quite reached the atmosphere of Gates, but he is in the prime of his career with a strong offensive outfit. Shockey is prone to turning into a ghost for periods, totaling two catches or fewer four times last season, but the more he develops a rapport with Eli Manning, the more his numbers will improve. He averaged nearly three more yards per catch in 2005 than ’04 (13.9-10.7), an indication that he’s being used to stretch the field. The next number to follow is the touchdowns.

YR  TEAM                   REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   N.Y. Giants           61           666                         6

05   N.Y. Giants           65           891                         7

 

  1. Tony Gonzalez, Kansas City

In 2004 Gonzalez led the entire league in receptions, setting a single-season record for tight ends. Then Larry Johnson emerged and the Chiefs went conservative at the same time defenses finally figured out a way to defend Gonzo. The fact remains, the Kansas City veteran still finished second in receiving yards at the position and posted at least 70 receptions for the third straight season. Dropping Gonzalez completely off the top of any tight end list isn’t the smartest move to make. The tank is far from empty.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

Kansas City                  102         1,258                      7

Kansas City                  78           905                         2

 

  1. Todd Heap, Baltimore

Steve McNair is going to do wonders for Heap. To fantasy football veterans, the name Frank Wycheck should ring a bell. He was McNair’s favorite target for several years before Derrick Mason developed into a stud. This little history lesson should serve you well heading into Draft Day. It’s possible Heap could leap frog several on this list by the end of 2006. He netted at least five grabs in 10 of Baltimore’s 16 games last season.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Baltimore              27           303                         3

05   Baltimore              75           855                         7

 

  1. Jason Witten, Dallas

Terrell Owens is in town, Julius Jones is aiming for 20 touchdowns and Terry Glenn is still hanging around the huddle. So where does Witten fit in the grand scheme of things? Do the names Mark Bavaro or Ben Coates ring a bell? They were tight ends who flourished under Bill Parcells, and Witten’s performance has been outstanding through the first two years. While another 80-catch season is a longshot, he should finish up in the 70-catch range with solid yardage totals even with Owens in town.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Dallas                    87           980                         6

05   Dallas                    66           757                         6

 

  1. Alge Crumpler, Atlanta

Until Michael Vick and the passing game gets its act together, Crumpler is the only option. For fantasy ballers it’s a double-edged sword. You know he’s going to get the opportunities of the elite tight ends, but how many will be deflected, overthrown or bounced off the turf because defenses know where Vick is going with the ball? The touchdown total needs to grow if Crumpler is to take the next step. He had a pair of stretches at least four games long where he didn’t have a scoring catch.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Atlanta                   48           774                         6

05   Atlanta                   65           877                         5

 

8. Kellen Winslow II, Cleveland

The career of Winslow has amounted to just five receptions for 50 yards. A torn ACL in the second game of 2004 shelved him for the balance of the year, and a motorcycle accident forced him to the sidelines for all of ’05. We’re giving him the benefit of the doubt and banking on the former Miami Hurricane finally taking the steps towards fulfilling the greatness many expect. Just 23 years old, Winslow could easily be the lead receiver for the Browns. Braylon Edwards is just back from a torn ACL of his own, and Joe Jurevicius has never truly held down a No. 1 role. Quarterback Charlie Frye could use a friend over the middle who can stretch the field or use his body (6-4, 250 pounds) to shield defenders on short routes.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   CLE                        5              50                           0

05   CLE                        DID NOT PLAY (Knee injury)

 

9. Heath Miller, Pittsburgh

Tight ends have never been a big part of the picture in Pittsburgh’s offense under Bill Cowher…that is until now. Miller burst on the scene with lofty expectations and delivered to a point. Held back by the constraints of blocking and game situations at others, Miller still managed six touchdown receptions, all in his first six games. The scoring run came to an abrupt halt, but Miller still finished up strong with at least three receptions in four of the final six games.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

05   Pittsburgh            39           459                         6

 

10. L.J. Smith, Philadelphia

In theory, Smith’s breakout 2005 could have been seen a mile away. It was his third season, and he had previously experienced minor improvements across the board from ‘03-‘04. He nearly double his totals in receptions and yards and stands to play a significant role in a Philadelphia attack praying for someone to be a go-to guy. No longer a sleeper, Smith has awakened in the eyes of many.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Philadelphia         34           377                         5

05   Philadelphia         61           682                         3

 

11. Vernon Davis, San Francisco

Rookies don’t normally have much of a fantasy impact, especially rookie tight ends. Few step into the situation Davis finds himself in, either. The top-ranked tight end in the 2006 NFL Draft, Davis instantly steps in as Alex Smith’s new No. 1 target amid high expectations. Can he deliver? You bet. His hands have a larger bulls’ eye on them than Osama Bin Laden, and unlike the President Bush, Smith knows how to find his target.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

ROOKIE

 

12. Randy McMichael, Miami

Ranking McMichael this low speaks more about the depth at tight end than his own talents. It’s tough to go wrong here, with Daunte Culpepper taking over and a creative mind running the show. As the Dolphins’ offense takes flight, so too will McMichael. Easily the second weapon in the passing game behind Chris Chambers, owners can expect another campaign of 60-plus receptions and a touchdown total approach 8-10. A potential gamebreaker, McMichael has posted 29 receptions of at least 20 yards in the last four years and never missed a game in his career.

YR  TEAM                    REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Miami                    73           791                         4

05   Miami                    60           582                         5

 

13. Dallas Clark, Indianapolis

The good news: Clark set new personal highs in receptions and yardage. The bad news: He played in all 16 games and managed just 37 receptions. Admittedly, Clark is a little further down in the pecking order than most No. 1 tight ends. But he’s still the top pass catcher at the position on a high-scoring NFL offense. By no means has Clark reached his ceiling, but it may not be as high as previously thought.

YR TEAM                      REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Indianapolis          25           423                         5

05   Indianapolis          37           488                         4


14. Ben Troupe, Tennessee

Equally big and athletic, one doesn’t have to look too far down the Tennessee stat sheet to see why Troupe can be called a sleeper. He tied for second with Erron Kinney on the team in receptions with 55. But his biggest problem is exactly the player who tied him—Kinney. Only one can separate himself, as Tennessee ushers in a young crop of wide receivers. The smart money says it’s Troupe, a third year tight end fitting the mold of the new Titans.

YR TEAM                      REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   Tennessee             33           329                         1

05   Tennessee             55           530                         4

 

15. Ben Watson, New England

Even the 15th-ranked tight end stands to have considerable fantasy value, making tight ends quite deep compared to any other time in recent memory. Watson leap-frogged Daniel Watson and Christian Fauria on the depth chart last season and stands at the top of Tom Brady’s list for the position in 2006. Though he turned in some big plays, Watson’s frame could turn him into an excellent red-zone target.

YR TEAM                      REC        REC YDS              TDS

04   New England         2              16                           0

05   New England         29           441                         4

 

Best of the Rest…

16. Jerramy Stevens, Seattle

 

17. Zach Hilton, New Orleans

At 6-foot-8, he has touchdown machine written all over him. Even the ultra-accurate Drew Brees can be off on these throws.

 

18. Marcus Pollard, Detroit

 

19. Joe Klopfenstein, St. Louis

First Manumaleuna, now Klopfenstein. Will the Rams start an all phonics team?

 

20. Leonard Pope, Arizona

Rookie was a pass-catching machine at Georgia and steps right into a starting job.

 

21. Courtney Anderson, Oakland

 

22. Jeb Putzier, Houston

Could surprise in the Texans revamped offense.

 

23. Alex Smith, Tampa Bay

 

24. Jermaine Wiggings, Minnesota

 

25. Bubba Franks, Green Bay

It’s almost time to stick a fork in this Franks. His numbers have been on the decline for four years.

 

Steve Siniski is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers’ Association.