My Antonio Gates Blog

We all know the names of Gonzalez, Witten and Gates, and you can make an argument to put Clark in this elite group also. But these 4 will require a 3rd or 4th round pick. How can you draft a solid, consistent producer at Tight End and wait until you get good value for him? In our Fantasy Football Sleepers series, we tackle tight ends next.

Sleeper #1

Chase Coffman caught 90 balls for almost 1,000 yards last year as a senior for Missouri. Those are huge numbers for any TE in college football, and going to Cincinnati means he can contribute immediately for a team without any solid offensive TE. Carson Palmer is healthy after being injured last season, and the Bengals have the 5th easiest schedule for Tight Ends. Their offensive line is not the greatest, and their backfield is not what you would call stellar, so look for a lot of dump-offs and a few red zone targets. I am looking for 53 catches, 590 yards and 5 scores. This is a guy you can draft extremely late, possibly the last round, and get mid-round value out of.

Sleeper #2

With a healthy Darren McFadden back at RB, and their inability to throw the ball down the field, Oakland will be able to feed Zach Miller the ball in Red Zone situations where the line will be stacked to stop the run. Miller had only one TD last year, but has averaged 600 yards and 50 catches the past 2 seasons. His Red Zone production should improve to 5 or 6 TDs this year, as Oakland is facing the easiest schedule in the league for Tight Ends. You know they will be trailing a lot this year, and their defensive backfield will give them several short field situations, with CB Nnamdi Asomugha and others picking the ball on D. For these two reasons, I think the short to middle pass will be a staple this year for them, and an area for Miller to shine.

If you are looking for 900 yards and 8 TDs from your TE, you have got to take one of the elite 3 or 4 guys in round 3 or 4. And if you feel comfortable drafting a less than 100% Dallas Clark or Antonio Gates, be my guest. But I just really hate spending that kind of money on a TE when you can lose only 2 fantasy points a game by taking someone in the 8th round or later. You more than make up for the difference with the RB, WR or QB differential by using that 3rd round pick at one of these 3 skill positions instead.

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These are my fantasy football picks for Tight Ends as of May 2010. Needless to say, depending on when you read this you need to do your own due diligence and evaluate the status of players. Stuff like injuries, team changes and suspensions.

Without further ado, Here are my fantasy football picks top five Tight Ends.

1. Dallas Clark/Colts- Clark is just simply too big for most defensive backs to cover and too fast for most linebackers. Clark takes some vicious hits and still hangs on to the ball, and with Peyton Manning under center Clark has become the most dangerous TE in the NFL.

2. Antonio Gates/Chargers- With QB Philip Rivers still intact, there's no reason to believe that Gates won't again be a valuable receiving target for the Chargers. A key here will be the re-signing of WR Vincent Jackson, as without him teams will be able to concentrate on covering Gates.

3. Tony Gonzalez/Falcons- Though Gonzalez did not have one of his typical seasons in 2009, he was nonetheless still one of the top TE's in football. With another year of playing experience with QB Matt Ryan, Gonzalez should once again be considered one of the top choices at TE this year.

4. Vernon Davis/49ers- Davis really exploded last season under Mike Singletary, and this season should render similar results. Davis is their number one receiving threat and presents matchup problems for many opponents. Whether it's Alex Smith or David Carr at QB, Davis should be a valuable fantasy starter.

5. Jason Witten/Cowboys- No matter what number you think Witten should be ranked at, if you end up drafting him you won't be disappointed. Witten has been the most reliable target the Cowboys have had over the past five or six seasons, but needs to improve in his TD totals if he wants to move up.

Now this is the short list. There are 10 more tight ends that you are welcome to use for your own fantasy football picks. Just check them out at JohnnyNFL.com. Follow me @johnnynfl on Twitter for immediate updates.

Let's imagine for a second that you're fantasy football draft is taking place. It's now in it's 13th round and you realize that you've forgotten to draft a tight end. All the big names (Witten, Gates, Ton-Gon, even Heap) disappeared hours ago and Robert Royal isn't looking too promising. Well, rookie, here's a look at some rookies that could help your team and make an immediate impact this year.

First, we will start with the most obvious choice: Brandon Pettigrew. This 6'5" 260 pound rookie polishes off a class of talented, young offensive players for the Detroit Lions. Pettigrew will be surrounded by Calvin Johnson, Kevin Smith and also-newly-drafted Matthew Stafford when (and if) the Lions offense takes the field.

It's obvious to see that Pettigrew was the best tight end in this year's draft. After all, the Lions did snag him quickly, making him the first tight end to be drafted in 2009. Lately, the Lions have also had a knack for finding explosive offensive talent (sans Joey Harrington). Don't expect Pettigrew to put up Antonio Gates-esque numbers. But, he still remains the Lions best option at tight end.

Another rookie tight end worth taking a look at is Chase Coffman. Coffman's big frame (6'6", 244 lbs) comes with a bigger risk on draft day than Pettigrew will. For starters, he was drafted by the Cincinnati Bengals. They only averaged 150.4 pass yards per game last year. Secondly, Coffman will be playing second fiddle to Reggie Kelly. But, there is an upside! For starters, he is behind Reggie Kelly! Kelly continued towards a second disappointing season last year, which should allow Marvin Lewis to give Coffman an even closer look. If Lewis wants a touchdown scored from his tight end, then Coffman is the answer not Kelly.

While I wouldn't recommend relying too heavily on Pettigrew and Coffman, they are viable bye week relief and/or bench players (after all, they ARE on the Bengals and the Lions). Pettigrew offers the most upside and who knows, he might be able to put up some decent numbers. If he does, you can finally talk some trash to that guy in your league who allegedly "discovered" Matt Forte before "anyone even heard of him".

Nevertheless, if your draft is still taking place and you still want to wait on a tight end, well, Jermaine Gresham comes out next year.

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2008 represented a up and down year for the San Diego Chargers. The team started horribly then somehow rebounded to finish 8-8 and managed to steal the AFC West from the Denver Broncos by beating them 52-21 on the final week of the regular season. The Bolts then defeated Indianapolis 23-17 in the Wildcard round before finally bowing to the eventual Super Bowl Champion Pittsburg Steelers 35-24 in the Divisional Playoff. The year saw QB Phillip Rivers emerge as one of the NFL's elite and also witnessed the first sign that LaDanian Tomlinson may be on the decline. What kind of options do the 2009 Chargers provide fantasy owners? I now offer my thoughts on the topic.

Rivers really came into his own in 2009 by throwing for 4009 yds and 34 Td's with only 11 Int's. The former NC State product was on point all year long despite the teams early struggles and it was a complete joke that Rivers failed to make the Pro Bowl as he clearly was one of the best QB's all season. Rivers returns this year with pretty much the same offensive unit however it will be hard to duplicate last year's numbers. First, as I will discuss further in a moment, I expect LT to rebound this year and if he does that will cut into Rivers numbers. Furthermore, I not really sold on the Chargers receivers especially when Vincent Jackson is your number one guy. It's tough to get on Rivers case and he is certainly one of the top five QB's available in fantasy drafts along with Manning, Brady, and Brees. I would be surprised but not shocked if he exceeds his 2008 numbers. Draft him around the 3rd or 4th round.

According to all the pundits Tomlinson had a "horrible" year. Since when is a horrible year 1110 yards and 12 total TD's? 99% of the RB's in the NFL would call those stats a CAREER year. It really shows you what kind of career Tomlinson has had when everyone is ready to kick him to the curb after one injury riddled, slightly sub-par year. Granted 3 of his TD's came in week 17 which is the fantasy equivalent of the Pro Bowl week as most leagues conclude the previous week and if I had drafted LT first overall I probably would have been pissed too. But seriously people. Give the dude a break. I don't think LT is the next Shaun Alexander and unlike NFL.com's Michael Fabiano I don't think Tomlinson is done although his days of rushing for 28 Td's are over. From all reports I am hearing out of San Diego Tomlinson is practicing with a chip on his shoulder and is 100% healthy and looking awesome. With Darren Sproles proving to the nation last year that he is a more than adequate substitute despite his size, LT will not have to take the pounding as he did in the past. Sproles will spell LT more this year thus Tomlinson should stay fresh throughout the year. LT has been going anywhere from the late first round to the late second round of the mock's I have been doing. I have even nabbed him coming back around after drafting Peterson number one overall so essentially round 3. If you can get Tomlinson anywhere in the 2nd round you are committing larceny. If you draft him just make sure you handcuff him later in the draft with Sproles.

In my estimation the Chargers receiving corps is average at best with Jackson leading the way with 1098 yards and 7 TD's. After Jackson the Chargers have Chris Chambers, Malcom Floyd, and Legedu Naanee essentially rounding out the position. I had Chambers last year and was starting him before he got hurt and the former Wisconsin product was actually on a pretty nice TD run before his injury. He would have one catch and that catch would usually go for a score. Then he fell off dramatically after sustaining the injury and was subsequently firmly entrenched on my bench. As for Jackson, a lot of people think he has the potential to break out this year and that belief is illustrated by the fact that he has been going around the 4th-5th round of the CBS Sports mock drafts. In my estimation that is too high for him but that is only my take and if you have a gut feeling that he will perform then draft him. The Chargers sport a potent offense and Jackson is unquestionably the number one receiving option on the squad along with TE Antonio Gates. Im just pointing out that 2008 was the first time that Jackson has been over 1000 yards and I honestly view him no more than a number 3 receiver or Flex option. Furthermore, Jackson has a accumulated a series of DUI's one of which is currently being litigated on and thus will be a character risk for any owner that selects him. To his defense, he does have Rivers throwing him the ball and that will certainly help as will the fact that the Bolts offense is capable of putting up serious points. If you have a gut feeling about Jackson take him I just personally don't have that gut feeling and will more than likely avoid him on draft day. As for Chambers, Naanee, and Floyd, avoid all until they prove they are capable of putting up consistent stats. Floyd, based on his last year's performance is the wildcard to watch for the Chargers early on as he and Rivers seemed to form some nice chemistry as the season progressed.

TE Gates remains one of the NFL's elite at the position. 2008 witnessed his yardage drop significantly but TD's remaied on par. Last season Gates caught 60 passes for 704 yards and 8 scores. The yardage total was clearly Gates lowest output since his rookie campaign but I don't really think that there is any cause for concern. First, Gates turns 29 tomorrow so age is not a factor. Furthermore, the stubborn toe injury that may have played a part in his yardage totals dropping is healed and Gates appears to be 100% healthy. Finally, he is still the number 1 option in the potent passing attack led by Rivers. In summary, don't be swayed by the somewhat off year that Gates had in 2008. The former Kent State product still remains one of the best at his position. Draft him behind Dallas Clark and Jason Witten only.

The Chargers DST is one of the best options for fantasy owners heading into 2009 for a variety of reasons. First, Shawn Merriman returns this year after missing nearly the entire season in '09 after undergoing knee surgery. Furthermore, the Chargers used their first round pick in this years draft on OLB Larry English out of Northern Illinois thus giving the Bolts a very formidable duo at LB pairing the rookie along with Merriman. Moreover, Sproles is threat to return every punt or kickoff he touches for a score. The Chargers DST struggles early then came on late much in the same way the entire team did and that was without the services of Merriman and English. Look for this unit to be one of the best fantasy options in '09 and expect them to be off the board after Pittsburgh, NE, and possibly the NY Jets who will no doubt be stout defensively with new Head Coach Rob Ryan in town. Next up: The Denver Broncos.

Chris Limburg is the fanatical purveyor of OaklandRaidersCentral.com: A Oakland Raiders/Fantasy Football blog that provides commentary on everything that is the NFL. Sign up for my free newsletter at [http://www.oaklandraiderscentral.com] and receive my fantasy football e-course that will prepare you for your draft and enable you to dominate your league in 2009.

10. Zach Miller, Oakland Raiders. The young tight end broke out last season, with consistent yardage per game, having caught for 778 total yards. Unfortunately, he only scored 1 TD, and the Raiders' ability to score will heavily factor into his value this season.

9. Jeremy Shockey. A top-5 tight end not too long ago has slipped in the rankings, despite the fact that he plays for a top-3 fantasy quarterback in Drew Brees. Last season was a major letdown for Shockey and his owners, marred with injury (he missed 4 games), and Shockey amazingly scored no TDs. He also posted a career low 483 yards. Look for a bounceback season from Shockey, but the risk factor places Shockey at #9.

8. Chris Cooley. Another traditionally top-5 tight end, Cooley only found the end zone once last season. While he did post a career high in receiving yards (849), fantasy football is all about the touchdowns, and Cooley missed the boat there. He has easy top 5 potential with those yards should he score 5 or 6 TDs, but the Washington offense is questionable and others look more attractive given their QBs.

7. Owen Daniels. This young talent continues to improve each year, and has quietly emerged as one of the most reliable TEs in football over the past couple seasons. His 862 receiving yards were third best for a TE, but Daniels only scored two TDs. Still, his reliability combined with his upside will make most GMs happy, and Daniels falls at number 7 on the list this season.

6. Greg Olsen. A true sleeper this season in the sense that Olsen probably possesses more upside than any other tight end this season. With Jay Cutler at the helm, Olsen could easily have a breakout year at tight end, seeing as how involved Cutler traditionally likes to get with his tight ends. Olsen caught for 574 yards and scored 5 TDs last season, but should definitely best both of those numbers with Cutler's help.

5. Dallas Clark. When Peyton Manning is your quarterback, it's not hard to do great things. Clark has become an increasingly reliable option with each season, as Manning deals with an often double-teamed Reggie Wayne and an aging Marvin Harrison. Clark's 848 yards and 6 TDs are just too good to pass up, offering true value at the TE position.

4. Kellen Winslow. The 2007 season was a career year for Kellen Winslow, having caught for over 1100 yards and posting a career TD high as well. Last season, Winslow regressed (he only played 10 games) - partly due to injury and partly due to a murky QB situation in Cleveland. Winslow joins its Buccaneers team and should play a major role in its offense. He's a riskier play in the sense that there's both more risk and reward than there is with options like Dallas Clark. Draft accordingly.

3. Antonio Gates. Until last year, Gates was the consensus #1 fantasy tight end. Gates' 704 receiving yards last season (7th best for a tight end) have dethroned him, for now at least. In his defense, he did score 8 TDs, second best for any tight end. Numbers anyone would be happy to take.

2. Jason Witten. With the absence of Terrell Owens, there are many question marks in Dallas. As long as Romo's there, however, Witten should see plenty of targets. In fact, Romo may come to count on Witten even more, especially in the red zone. Witten began last season as the best tight end in football, but quickly slipped after a nagging rib injury slowed his season. He's rested and healthy, and should be back to posting regular WR numbers each weekend.

1. Tony Gonzalez. 2008 was a revival year for Gonzalez, who led all TEs in yards (1058) and TDs (10) last season, carrying many of his owners to the fantasy playoffs. Gonzalez finds himself as part of a stronger offense in Atlanta, and should connect with Matt Ryan for long receptions and TDs on many Sundays. Gonzalez is one of the most talented TEs in the game, and has only missed two games in his 12 year career. He hasn't received for less than 900 yards in a season since 2002-2003. Enjoy him for everything he's worth.

Jesse Boskoff can be found talking sports at RootZoo's sports forum on occasion, and playing his hand at the largest database of sports trivia online at RootZoo, home to fantasy football leagues, sports videos, and much more.