With a player pool far more limited in talent prospect in contrast to other positions, the guys Sean (@SeanTGreen) and Ryan (@KramerCentric) still had no qualms with reasoning contrarianism while tackling their top ten tight ends for 2019 in one of the latest editions of Sports Gambling Podcast. Highlighted in part by the [un]expected stand taken by Mr. Green himself to include both Eagles tight ends in his listing, the lists including other typical names you’d see toward the very top (Kittle) don’t necessarily ease into the fondest of graces.
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Sean Green’s Top 10 TEs
10) Evan Engram
“Legitimate questions about quarterback…and injury plague…he is an athletic guy that can catch the ball.”
9) Dallas Goedert
“An extremely athletic, pass-catching tight end…he’s coming off a rookie season, he had 33 receptions, four of which for touchdowns…the entire offseason there’s been one name mentioned at every single press conference…Dallas Goedert…that guy is going to get a ton of work…I think it’s going to make sense that he’s going to beat out a decent number of tight ends because of how much they plan on using him, particularly in the red zone…I’ve got him going 50 receptions, 6 touchdowns.”
8) George Kittle
“George Kittle set the yardage mark for tight ends…1,377 yards off 88 receptions and five touchdowns…look at those big plays that he was making, it was when the game was already out of hand, and he was getting a bunch of garbage yards, and it was because CJ Beathard was his quarterback…when Jimmy G gets back, George Kittle is not going to have 1,000 yards…that was an aberration…”
7) Eric Ebron
“Last year was Ebron mania…he had a couple of three touchdown games…he had 14 touchdowns, and that’s not even including what he did in the playoffs…there’s going to be some regression, especially with the Colts getting Jack Doyle back, and they seem pretty excited to have him back…but he got 66 receptions, 750 yards…I think [Ebron] and Luck have some legit chemistry.”
6) Vance McDonald
“I think Big Ben’s getting older, he’s going to need some easy completions and Vance McDonald’s that guy…Jesse James, the other tight end, he’s not there anymore, along with Antonio Brown, that’s a combined 200 targets up for grabs…I think there’s a lot of room for Vance McDonald.”
5) OJ Howard
“The Bucs actually led the league [in 2018] in passing yards and fantasy points from the QB…Adam Humphries and DeSean Jackson both out…he’s a guy that could thrive in a Bruce Arians system…I could see him getting 100 targets easily.”
4) Kyle Rudolph
“I included him here because of the consistency…last year he had a little bit of a drop touchdown-wise, he only had four touchdowns…he’s been super consistent at putting up higher touchdowns…previous touchdowns: 8, 7, 5…I think he’ll just get a little bit more of a run…this is what Kirk Cousins does, he loved Jordan Reed, I think he’s going to build on what he had going with Kyle Rudolph…”
3) Hunter Henry
“He’s got a full year removed from the ACL injury, Tyrell Williams no longer in the picture…rookie year he had eight touchdowns…he has a lot of Gronk-esque qualities about the way that he runs his routes, his blocking, he’s a guy I think who will be on the field a bunch…”
2) Travis Kelce
“I think the defense will focus on him a bit…having a Tyreek Hill on the field makes your job [as a tight end] much, much easier, it’s going to create more opportunities underneath…Tyreek Hill, I’m predicting, will be suspended by the NFL, possibly eight games, maybe more…that could have an impact a little bit on Kelce’s productivity, but other than that, there’s nothing really to be negative about Travis Kelce…Andy Reid loves working him into the offense…they [the Chiefs] do love that little shovel pass to Travis Kelce…Andy Reid will incorporate a tight end screen into the playbook…easy way to get easy yards, easy receptions..”
1) Zach Ertz
“Set the record for the position for catches…DeSean Jackson is now on the outside, I think that’s going to push safeties back, he has a ton of chemistry with Carson Wentz…and the guy catches everything…his catch rate is off the charts, he doesn’t drop balls, he’s a huge part of their offense…he caught the touchdown to put the Eagles up in the Super Bowl over the Patriots…the guy is clutch in every sense…he’s getting better at yards after catch…you’re looking for catches and touchdowns, he’s gonna have a lot of both.”
Ryan Kramer’s Top 10 TEs
10) Vance McDonald
“It’s his upside…Big Ben will throw to the tight end…Vance McDonald gives him something at the tight end position he hasn’t had much of…he’s got that speed…you’re talking mid-to-late round…”
9) Evan Ingram
“I think he has some significant upside…I like him more this year just because there’s a number of targets…Eli has always thrown to the traditional tight end a ton…I just wonder if with Evan Ingram running more of the slot if you could also use the Victor Cruz-comp, the best thing Evan Ingram does is stretch the middle of the field, as we know not Eli Manning’s strong suit…I think legitimately just because of the volume he could end up being in that tier right after Kelce, Kittle, and Ertz.”
8) Austin Hooper
“He’s gonna have a ton of volume again, and while I think he will have some variance, I think we have had a problem with certain receivers named Julio finding the end zone…and Dirk Koetter…he’s done something with the tight end for the past couple years in Tampa Bay…I think he has a very high floor…he played 76 percent of their offensive snaps last year…they play in a dome…”
7) OJ Howard
“He’s kind of more of a big play guy, but he definitely seems to be getting some chemistry…you have to imagine they’re going to try to stretch the field with Bruce Arians, and one of these guys in this second tier of tight ends that if you don’t get one of the top guys…you wait and get one of these guys.”
6) David Njoku
“Think of the offense, there’s a lot of people to cover that aren’t David Njoku…I think maybe I have him at #6 because of that ceiling…he’s gonna go off in some games, he’s going to be more of that boom-or-bust guy…there’s going to be enough big plays there because of his speed, because of the way that defenses are going to be spread thin…Njoku and Beckham, that’s a good dual speed threat.”
5) Hunter Henry
“I think I’m maybe even low on him at #5…Philip Rivers, he likes to throw to the tight end…if he’s healthy, it’s hard to see him not flirting with Tier 1…”
4) Eric Ebron
“He had a great year, he’s probably not going to do that but…he was a monster last year and I just don’t see what changes for Andrew Luck to not continue to go to that success…”
3) George Kittle
“It’s a volume play…he will have to get acclimated with the very good looking Jimmy Garoppolo…Shanahan is a good offensive coordinator, Shanahan realizes he has a weapon, Shanahan will get George Kittle the ball…George Kittle’s explosiveness in top speed is what makes him interesting because that’s how you turn a 10-yard grab into a 70-yard grab…essentially you will have another WR 1/2…”
2) Zach Ertz
“Volume play, he’s on the field almost every down, he catches the ball and falls down, he’s never going to get you negative fantasy points for fumbles…and he’s going to catch 100 passes…I’m targeting Zach Ertz probably at the beginning of the second round…”
1) Travis Kelce
“Tyreek Hill will miss time, Travis Kelce WILL absolutely see more targets because of it…he’s a freak, he has had a couple of concussions, but he had a very good year last year, 225 PPR points…if he does get those extra looks because of Tyreek Hill, he has a very, very legit shot at being the top scoring RECEIVER…period…I think he could outscore every wide receiver, I absolutely think you can take Travis Kelce in the first round of your draft.”
