The Next Wave Of Tight Ends
March 8, 2009 at 1:14 am | Article by Paul Hickey |
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We’ve taken a look at sleeper second year RBs and WRs over the past two weeks, and it’s about time to start examining the next wave of tight ends that will emerge as legit fantasy options in 2009. Owners already know about guys like Tony Gonzalez, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Kellen Winslow, Dallas Clark and Owen Daniels, but check out some late round guys that could yield huge results.
Sophomores:
Dustin Keller, Jets TE (pictured) - Dynasty owners, familiarize yourself with this name if you haven’t already. The Jets traded up into the first round of last year’s draft to select this guy for one reason - to feature him as one of their top offensive weapons for years to come. Despite appearing to hit a rookie wall towards the end of 2008, Keller was extremely impressive overall, hauling in 27 passes in a four game span, and showing elite breakaway ability. The 6′2″, 248 lb. seam-buster now looks like the Jets’ top target in the passing game with Laveranues Coles in Cincy. Chris Baker is in New England, so all the reps at TE now belong to Keller. Oh yeah, and with Brett Favre gone, he’ll have a young QB tossing him the rock in 2009 - and you know how much inexperienced signal callers need to rely on their tight ends, don’t you?
John Carlson, Seahawks TE - With just about every Seattle WR hurt in 2008, the 6′5″, 251 lb. second round pick from Notre Dame became the team’s best pass catching target, hauling in 55 balls for 627 yards and five TDs - and that was with QB Matt Hasselbeck sidelined for a significant period of time due to injuries. With Hass, Deion Branch, Nate Burleson and new free agent acquisition T.J. Houshmandzadeh in the mix, Carlson should still remain a key cog in the offense, but have less defensive attention dedicated to him. We expect the ‘Hawks to move the ball at will in 2009, meaning good things for the second year man. It’s also worthy of noting that the last time head coach Jim Mora and offensive coordinator Greg Knapp were together (in Atlanta), they featured the TE position in the passing offense, setting up Alge Crumpler for a few solid fantasy seasons in the early 2000s.
Third-Year Wonders:
Greg Olsen, Bears TE - In his second year out of MIami, the 6′5″, 252 lb. Olsen started shaky, but finished strong, and improved his overall reception, yardage and TD totals. The Bears have no legitimate WR threat, meaning Olsen will have to continue to step up and play a large roll in the aerial attack. Natural progression alone puts Olsen at 60 catches for 700 yards and seven TDs in 2009, but he has the potential to do even more damage. Consider him a wonderful buy low candidate this off-season, and someone who could truly pay dividends to his owners.
Zach Miller, Raiders TE - A second round pick in 2007, the 6′5″, 255 lb. Miller quietly racked up 56 catches for 778 yards and a TD in 2008, making him a legit fantasy starter in deep leagues. He’s definitely easy to forget about, due to the fact that he plays in Oakland. Points per reception league owners should borderline be drooling over this kid, as he runs amazing routes, has great toughness and a natural ability to make spectacular catches. Chances are, if you invest something reasonable in Miller, you’ll end up being extremely happy with the results.
Fourth-Year Fliers:
Anthony Fasano, Dolphins TE - The 24 year old former second round draft pick finally got a chance to step out of Jason Witten’s shadow and show what he could do in 2008 after Bill Parcells acquired him in a trade. He finished his rookie year with 34 catches, 454 yards and seven TDs, and should remain a solid focal point of the Dolphins’ offense in 2009.
Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars TE - Lewis’ digits have gone up over the past three years, but the 6′6″, 275 lb. TE hasn’t really broken through yet. That could change in 2009, due to the fact that Jacksonville released WR Jerry Porter, there’s a solid chance that the massive TE could move into more of a consistent pass catching role. If Lewis is able to stay prepared and confident, he could string together a nice statistical run.
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