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2018 NFL Fantasy Football Offseason – Part 4: Tight Ends

By Benjamin Main

SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Tight end Jimmy Graham
SEATTLE, WA - JANUARY 07: Tight end Jimmy Graham /
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SEATTLE, WA – JANUARY 07: Tight end Jimmy Graham Fantasy Football
SEATTLE, WA – JANUARY 07: Tight end Jimmy Graham Fantasy Football /

2018 NFL Fantasy Football Offseason – Part 4: Tight Ends

Here are the links in case you missed Part 1: The Quarterbacks, Part 2: The Running Backs, or Part 3: The Wide Receivers. This is Part 4: The Tight Ends. Inside you will find comprehensive analysis of the 2018 NFL offseason. First, I will take you through the current NFL Free Agency class, providing analysis. Second, I will cover the top Fantasy Football TE’s that have declared for the NFL Draft. Finally, I have included my Tight End Fantasy Football Redraft Rankings complete with Free Agency and NFL Draft projections.

2018 Free Agent Class – The Tight Ends

The 2018 tight end free agency class is thin. Teams in desperate need of tight end help will have to explore other avenues.

1. Jimmy Graham, SEA – 31yo
– Seattle is reportedly letting the 5-time pro-bowler walk this offseason. Graham had his best year as a Seahawk, but it appears that his most dominant years are behind him. Graham can be of great benefit to a creative offensive coordinator.

2. Trey Burton, PHI – 26yo
– Burton has proven over his 4 years in Philadelphia that he deserves a shot to start in the NFL. The undrafted free agent is a hard worker, a steady blocker, and has soft hands. A good Super Bowl could propel his stock even more.

3. Tyler Eifert, CIN – 27yo
– Eifert would likely be the top free agent tight end if it weren’t for his inability to stay healthy. He will get a short-term deal with a team that has nothing to lose.

4. Austin Seferian-Jenkins, NYJ – 25yo
– ASJ will get looks this offseason due to his potential alone. He has not been particularly impressive on the field, and off the field he has been a nightmare. 2017 was a step in the right direction, but teams will still be scared of relapse.

DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 12: Tight end Martellus Bennett
DENVER, CO – NOVEMBER 12: Tight end Martellus Bennett /

2018 Fantasy Football Cap Casualties – The Tight Ends

(NOTE: These are projected salary cap casualties. The teams still retain the rights to these contracts. This is just what I anticipate will happen during the offseason)

1. Dion Sims, CHI – 26yo
– Sims signed with Chicago last offseason, but the fit was not great. The Bears will save $5.6 million by releasing Sims.

2. Martellus Bennett, NE – 30yo
– There is no way that NE pay Marty $6.4 million next season. He will likely have a small market, and he has talked about retirement as well.

3.  Julius Thomas, MIA – 29yo
– Thomas, like Bennett, ended the season on IR. Miami will move on from Thomas and save $6.6 million. Thomas will have a small market if he is willing to take a pay cut.

4. Coby Fleener, NO – 29yo
– Another tight end that ended the season on IR. Fleener had a poor stint with the Saints, and the Saints will look to save $3.2 million by cutting ties with Fleener. Fleener will have a small market if he is willing to take a pay cut.

Top Fantasy Football Tight Ends in the NFL Draft

1. Dallas Goedert, SDSU
– Goedert lit up the stat sheet in his Junior and Senior seasons at South Dakota State. Some argue that those numbers are inflated because he was playing against inferior competition. It does not matter, Goedert is a good kid and a smooth athlete with soft hands and good size.

2. Mark Andrews, Oklahoma
– Polished athlete, blocker, and pass-catcher. Andrews will hear his name among the top tight ends in this class.

3. Mike Gesicki, Penn St.
– Gesicki is a slot tight end, meaning that he is more of a big-bodied wide receiver than a tight end. If he can show to be a competent blocker in the pre-draft process, he could be the first TE taken.

4. Hayden Hurst, South Carolina
– I think Hurst may slide a bit down the draft board due to his age. He played minor league baseball out of high school and will be entering as a 25yo rookie. However, he is an accomplished blocker with solid hands.

5. Ian Thomas, Indiana
– Thomas may be the best athlete of the bunch, and a dominate combine would boost his draft stock. Thomas must show improvement in route-running and pass-catching in order to hear his name called on day 2.

TE1 Rob Gronkowski NE
TE2 Travis Kelce KC
TE3 Zach Ertz PHI
TE4 Greg Olsen CAR
TE5 Delanie Walker TEN
TE6 Jimmy Graham NO
TE7 Hunter Henry LAC
TE8 Kyle Rudolph MIN
TE9 Jack Doyle IND
TE10 Jordan Reed WAS
TE11 Evan Engram NYG
TE12 Eric Ebron DET
TE13 Charles Clay BUF
TE14 Tyler Eifert CIN
TE15 David Njoku CLE
TE16 Austin Hooper ATL
TE17 Jason Witten DAL
TE18 Trey Burton MIA
TE19 OJ Howard TB
TE20 Jared Cook OAK
TE21 Vance McDonald PIT
TE22 CJ Fiedorowicz HOU
TE23 George Kittle SF
TE24 Austin Sefarian-Jenkins NYJ
TE25 Cameron Brate TB

More from FanSided

Notable:

TE6 Jimmy Graham NO

  • Graham reunites with Drew Brees and the team who traded him 3 years ago.

TE18 Trey Burton MIA

  • Miami has struggled to find a productive tight end in recent years. Burton fits with Adam Gase’s scheme, and will bring stability to the position.

Rookies

  • Rookies tight ends hardly ever contribute on a fantasy football level. That being said, I think that Mike Gesicki has the best chance to make a fantasy impact year one.

Next: Fantasy Football 2018 WR ReDraft Rankings

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