2015 Fantasy Football: TIght End Rankings
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13.) Kyle Rudolph, Vikings -He’s in an ideal situation with a TE-friendly offensive coordinator and an accurate QB in Teddy Bridgewater (3rd in comp% as a rookie). The talent has always been there for Rudolph, but he just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. He’s missed 15 games over the last two seasons, which makes him a risky pick, but at his current ADP of 130 there is a lot of upside.
14.) Owen Daniels, Broncos – Peyton Manning has always been a TE-friendly QB and that shouldn’t change with Daniels taking over for Julius Thomas. Daniels will be 34 this season and has missed 12 games over the last two years, so I’m not sure he can hold up to starter snaps. The Broncos also have promising back-up Virgil Green waiting in the wings, who is much closer athletically to the departed Thomas than Daniels is.
15.) Antonio Gates, Chargers – Had a renaissance year in 2014 (69 | 821 | 12) when most people thought Gates was done. He’s 35 years old now, so the end has to be near and he’s also facing a 4-game suspension which obviously hurts his fantasy value. My biggest concern with Gates isn’t his age or missed games, but that promising back-up Ladarius Green will carve out some snaps when Gates it out. A time-share between Gates and Green doesn’t help either for fantasy purposes.
16.) Charles Clay, Bills – It’s hard to get excited about any Bills pass catcher with the QB situation still unsettled, but Clay has been an underrated fantasy asset with the Dolphins the last two seasons and could get a lot of looks as a dump off option in Buffalo. He’s a versatile player who can play either move or inline and I could see Clay catching a lot of short passes this season giving him low-end starter value in PPR leagues.
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17.) Larry Donnell, Giants – Came out of nowhere to be the 12th best fantasy TE last year. He finished the season with 63 catches, 623 yards, and 6 TDs. Half of his TDs came in one game, but he was a consistent red zone target for Eli Manning and that shouldn’t change this season. His yardage numbers may always be mediocre, but he has a chance to snag 8+ TEs.
18.) Jordan Reed, Redskins – A Niles Paul injury has re-opened the door for Reed after an injury plagued 2014 campaign lost him the starting TE gig. Reed was a popular sleeper last year, he has the talent to be an elite receiver who just hasn’t been able to stay healthy. If he can play 16 games, Reed could easily be a top 10 fantasy TE but he hasn’t played more than 11 games in his two year career. If you are looking to take a flyer on a high-upside backup TE, Reed is a great candidate.