Fantasy: Tight End Tamme Index

Updated: 10/25/2011

One of my goals in 2011 is to keep up-to-date Handcuff charts for each of the important fantasy positions: Quarterback, Running Back, Wide Receiver, and Tight End. Why am I doing this? Simple. So that when one of your key fantasy contributors goes down with an injury, you know the right player to target…and if they're even worth targeting! Last season, when Colts TE Dallas Clark went down for the season with an injury, there was a mad scramble to the Waiver Wire. Who was the right add? H-Back Gijon Robinson? Receiving prospect Jacob Tamme? Blocker Brody Eldridge? The correct add, of course, was Tamme, who bailed out plenty of TE-deprived owners down the stretch in 2010.

And it doesn't end there, ladies and gentlemen. If you recall, elite fantasy TEs Chargers Antonio Gates and Packers Jermichael Finley also missed significant action in 2010, leaving fantasy owners to wonder which handcuff to add: Gates', Finley's, or Clark's? By analyzing the handcuffs and telling you if you should start, bench, monitor, or ignore each, you'll know which one to target. In fact, you'll even be able to use these charts in deep leagues in order to stash the league's high-upside handcuffs. For example, deep-league Antonio Gates owners should pass on his handcuff Randy McMichael, who wouldn't have much use should Gates go down anyways, and instead roster an elite handcuff like Delanie Walker or Evan Moore.

Now that you can appreciate the value of this project, I can introduce the first “Tamme” Index of 2011. Where else to start but at the position Mr. Tamme calls home: Tight End

Note: In most cases, “starter” refers to the player atop the team's depth chart at the Tight End position. In some cases, usually where a blocker is considered a team's #1 TE, the “starter” listed will actually be the “tight end worth owning in fantasy”.

Click here to view the QB Tamme Index

Click here to view the RB Tamme Index

Click here to view the WR Tamme Index

Click here to view the TE Tamme Index

Your Move	What it means
Starter	This player is, at worst, a borderline starter (Top 12 QB, Top 24 RB, Top 36 WR, Top 12 TE) in 12 team leagues
Bench	This player is worth a roster spot in 12 team leagues.
Monitor	You don't need to add this player in 12 team leagues, but monitor his progress over the next few weeks.
Ignore	Ignore this player, as they do not have much Fantasy value.

Tm	Note	Starter(s)	Handcuff(s)	Your move
ARZ	Heap and Jeff King are basically co-starters, but only Heap has Fantasy value. Housler, a rookie, is the team's best receiving tight end and is actually a better Fantasy asset than Heap would be normally.	Todd Heap	Rob Housler	Monitor
ATL	Palmer is a solid receiving option and has some upside considering how often the TE is used in the Atlanta offense.	Tony Gonzalez	Michael Palmer	Bench
BLT	Pitta is an excellent pass-catching tight end and should be scooped up if Dickson misses time.	Ed Dickson	Dennis Pitta	Starter
BUF	Chandler is counted on near the goal line, but he's not on the field much. Smith is a blocker and wouldn't run many routes.	Scott Chandler	Lee Smith	Ignore
CAR	The Panthers offense relies heavily on the tight end, making Shockey a valuable fantasy asset if Olsen goes down. Add him and start him.	Greg Olsen	Jeremy Shockey	Starter
CHI	Davis isn't involved much the way it is and Spaeth is less of a receiving threat. Avoid.	Kellen Davis	Matt Spaeth	Ignore
CIN	If Gresham goes down, look for Cincy to throw more to the wideouts with Lee in the starting lineup. He can catch the ball, but won't see enough work to put him on your radar.	Jermaine Gresham	Donald Lee	Ignore
CLV	Moore, basically a wide receiver, is split wide almost exclusively, but would be on the field more if Watson were out. Monitor Jordan Cameron, too.	Ben Watson	Evan Moore	Starter
DAL	John Phillips will steal snaps, but Bennett has the potential to put up TE1 numbers if Witten goes down.	Jason Witten	Martellus Bennett	Starter
DEN	Fells is the clear starter right now, but Thomas is the future. He'd be limited by the offense, but has some TE2 appeal. Virgil Green, a talented pass catcher, is next in line.	Daniel Fells	Julius Thomas	Monitor
DET	Already playing quite a bit in the slot, Scheffler would be among the most used tight ends in receiving situations if Pettigrew went down.	Brandon Pettigrew	Tony Scheffler	Starter
GB	Andrew Quarless was a bust in the receiving game in 2010, but still has a leg up on the No. 2 job. Tom Crabtree will do the blocking and deep leaguers can take a chance on DJ Williams.	Jermichael Finley	Andrew Quarless	Monitor
HST	Dreessen would see most of the snaps and would be the man to own. FB/TE James Casey would see another look or two and should be considered, as well.	Owen Daniels	Joel Dreessen	Bench
IND	In 2010, Tamme showed what kind of damage he could do if Clark were to miss time. Unfortunately, the offense isn't quite as good in 2011.	Dallas Clark	Jacob Tamme	Bench
JAX	With Zach Miller out for the season, Potter would get the reps if Lewis were to go down. He's not much of a pass-catching prospect.	Marcedes Lewis	Zach Potter	Avoid
KC	With Tony Moeaki done for 2011, Leonard Pope is handling starter's duties. He's not even worth owning, so don't bother with O'Connell	Leonard Pope	Jake O'Connell	Avoid
MIA	Mastrud would fill in for Fasano, but watch for H-Back Charles Clay to be more involved in the pass game. Neither is worth an add.	Anthony Fasano	Jeron Mastrud	Avoid
MIN	Among the finest receiving and all-around tight ends in the 2011 draft, Rudolph would see significant snaps, including plenty of targets	Visanthe Shiancoe	Kyle Rudolph	Bench
NE	Both starters will be owned. If one goes down, don't pick up Dan Gronkowski. Instead, grab WR Chad Ochocinco, who will see extra snaps.	Rob Gronkowski	Dan Gronkowski	Avoid
NE		Aaron Hernandez	Dan Gronkowski	Avoid
NO	Thomas would be a more than competent replacement for Graham as the team's pass-catching TE, but he won't see the same number of targets.	Jimmy Graham	Dave Thomas	Bench
NYG	Ballard has proven to be a solid all-around tight end for New York, but Beckum might actually be a better pass catcher. Still, the NY offense doesn't use the tight end enough.	Jake Ballard	Travis Beckum	Avoid
NYJ	Mulligan plays quite a bit, but focuses on blocking. If Keller goes down, WR Jeremy Kerley would be the benefactor.	Dustin Keller	Matthew Mulligan	Avoid
OAK	Blocker Brandon Myers would fill right in for Boss, but neither are used very much in this offense.	Kevin Boss	Brandon Myers	Avoid
PHI	A good pass catcher, he'd fill in right where Celek left off. There's upside considering the offense, but Vick simply doesn't throw to the TE a ton.	Brent Celek	Clay Harbor	Monitor
PIT	Miller is already just a borderline TE2 and Saunders would likely see even fewer targets, especially considering the team's deep WR unit.	Heath Miller	Weslye Saunders	Monitor
SD	McMichael is already seeing a ton of snaps this season, but moves up to the team's top receiving TE, as well, when Gates is out. Still, he won't see the looks Gates would normally.	Antonio Gates	Randy McMichael	Monitor
SEA	Morrah would be the team's top receiving tight end if Miller missed action. Anthony McCoy would see plenty of snaps, but he's a blocker.	Zach J. Miller	Cam Morrah	Monitor
SF	Walker would pick up where Davis left off as one of the team's top receiving targets	Vernon Davis	Delanie Walker	Starter
SL	Blockers Mike Hoomanawanui and Billy Bajema would dominate the snaps if Kendricks went down. Neither are particularly good pass catchers, but they'd see a few targets each.	Lance Kendricks	Mike Hoomanawanui	Monitor
TB	Stocker would be first in line for snaps and a majority of heavily-targeted Winslow's looks.	Kellen Winslow	Luke Stocker	Bench
TEN	Graham won't offer a ton of upside, but he'd see a boost in targets if Cook went down. Blocker Craig Stevens, however, would lead the group in snaps.	Jared Cook	Daniel Graham	Ignore
WAS	Davis was to 2009 what Jacob Tamme was to 2010. Now he's the starter and, if he goes down, the team is left with blocker Logan Paulsen	Fred Davis	Logan Paulsen	Avoid