We have reached the third week of these tight end articles with the AFC South. This division is clearly the best when it comes to fantasy tight ends as three of the starters are currently ranked in our top ten. Marcedes Lewis who was ranked as PFF’s top tight end in the AFC this year isn’t even rated as this divisions top fantasy tight end going into 2011.
The excitement in this division includes two players returning from injuries coming back to their top tear offenses and making them even stronger. We again look at the best tight end in the division, someone who should perform a lot better in 2011, someone who won’t be as much of a fantasy factor and then leave you with a name you should remember.
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The Best of the Best: Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
Current 2011 Projections: 132 TA, 100 Rec., 1004 yards, 8 TD
Analysis: This is an easy pick, as Clark in 2009 was a very dominant fantasy tight end, and would have been in 2010 had he not been injured. In 2009 he was thrown at more than any other tight end with 129 throws. He was able to convert 77.5% of those throws into catches which ranked him in the top ten in that category. He also had ten touchdowns and caused nine missed tackles which just adds to his impressive numbers.
Like most tight ends, he did well with short passes in the middle of the field, but he also made a number of big plays deep, with six of his touchdowns coming from passes of ten yards or more. The gap between him and the low TE1’s is large, so Clark is definitely worthy of an early round pick to solidify any fantasy roster.
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Moving On Up: Owen Daniels, Houston Texans
Current 2011 Projections: 95 TA, 65 Rec., 841 yards, 5 TD
Analysis: Thanks to injuries the past two years, Daniels name isn’t as well known in the fantasy world as he once was. However in 2008 Daniels was very good, and in the mean time Matt Schaub has become a better player and the emergence of Arian Foster has helped this offense so less focus can be put on Daniels.
In 2008 he was targeted 90 times, which was fifth most for tight ends so there is a lot to like about Daniels. However his past of injuries means that if you draft Daniels, you probably should look for another tight end to pick soon after him just in case. He currently ranks as our eighth best tight end and is a classic example of a high risk, high reward pick.
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On The Way Down: Jacob Tamme, Indianapolis Colts
Current 2011 Projections: 13 TA, 9 Rec., 83 yards, 1 TD
Analysis: When Dallas Clark went down in the 2010, some questioned if Tamme would match the production of Clark. Because of the Colts offense we knew Tamme would get the opportunity to be a starting fantasy tight end, and he played very well in the opportunity he was given.
The Colts typically leave Dallas Clark in on every offensive play which really limits Tamme’s opportunities to be the top tight end on any play. The Colts very frequently use a three wide receiver set, so Tamme’s chances at the number two tight end spot are also limited. Because of this, Tamme should only be drafted as a handcuff to Clark, and only in leagues where your bench is large enough that you can afford a spot for a handcuff tight end.
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A Name To Remember: Jared Cook, Tennessee Titans
Current 2011 Projections: 73 TA, 50 Rec., 596 yards, 4 TD
Analysis: In 2010, Ben Scaife and Craig Stevens started at tight end, and nether made much of a difference in the fantasy world. The most yards Scaife had in a game was 53, and Stevens never saw more than three targets. In week 11, Cook began taking snaps from both of these players and showed that he is clearly the best receiving option the Titans have at tight end.
The coaches in Tennessee want to see what Cook has to offer, and Scaife is a free agent who is unlikely to return in Tennessee. This means that Cook will likely be a starter, and have many opportunities to show he can succeed. There are questions as to who will throw him the ball, but right now he is a low end TE2, and has the opportunity to see his stock rise depending on the quarterback.
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