K RANKINGS 1-15
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............10
Gates was inconsistent in 2013, putting up some high scoring games, and failing to produce in others with his lowest touchdown total since his rookie year in 2003. Although young tight end LaDarius Green might take some of Gates targets this year in San Diego, the veteran might have some gas left in the tank. At 34-years-old it's reasonable to wonder though, and he shouldn't be drafted as a TE1 in any format.
Auction...............$5
Bye Week.............12
The fourth-best tight end in fantasy football in 2012, Miller fell out of the top 25 last season. That wasn't a surprise, though, as he was coming back from a major knee reconstruction. Even still, Miller finished with a respectable 58 receptions and 593 yards. One of the better all-around tight ends in the league, the Virginia product should bounce back in the stat sheets and once again become fantasy relevant -- that's not an out-of-this-world scenario when you consider his tremendous rapport with Ben Roethlisberger. That's not to say he'll return to his status as a No. 1 fantasy option among tight ends, but Miller will be useful as a backup and matchup-based starter. He's worth a late-rounder.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............4
Fool me once, Jared Cook, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. A potential sleeper in each of the last two seasons, Cook continued to disappoint his fantasy owners. While his 2013 numbers don't look bad on the surface, a large percentage of his production came in just two games ... one of which was a 24.10-point performance against the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1. While he's athletic and an adequate pass catcher, Cook has proven time and time again that he's not going to make a statistical leap past being a No. 2 fantasy tight end. Don't be fooled once again. If you do decide to take another chance on Cook, it shouldn't be as more than a No. 2 tight end of matchup-based starter in all formats.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............4
Eifert was considered one of the two best tight ends to come out of the 2013 draft class, but he failed to make much of a fantasy impact. That's not a surprise, though, as a vast number of first-year players at his position fail to produce strong totals. While he is a talented pass catcher with some long-term upside, Eifert will be hard pressed to make a major splash in fantasy while sharing snaps with Jermaine Gresham. As a result, owners should pass on him until the later rounds as a reserve.
Auction...............$4
Bye Week.............10
Allen caught one pass for 20 yards and scored one touchdown last season before an injured hip cost him the remaining 15 games. While he did require a surgical procedure to fix the damage, Allen will be back at 100 percent in time for training camp. A strong blocker with good hands, he should move right back into the pass attack and share time at the tight end spot with Coby Fleener. In fact, it can be argued that Allen is the better of the two players from a fantasy perspective. He's a deep sleeper.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............9
Rookie tight ends almost never make a big statistical impact, but it's tough to look past what Ebron brings to the table. A Vernon Davis clone due to his athletic prowess and playmaking skills, he could be used in a similar role to that of Jimmy Graham. Remember, new Lions OC Joe Lombardi was a former assistant with the New Orleans Saints. His addition to the offense is great news for Matthew Stafford, but expecting Ebron to hold consistent individual value, at least as a rookie, is a bit premature. Since 2009, a mere four first-year tight ends have finished in the top 20 in fantasy points at the position ... out of 79 total players. Look for Ebron in the late rounds as a No. 2 tight end, but don't reach for him in re-drafts.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............10
Graham showed potential in the absence of Owen Daniels last season, posting career bests across the board while finishing 17th in fantasy points among tight ends. He isn't much of a game changer and won't move into the elite level of tight ends, but Graham does have some sleeper appeal as the projected No. 1 tight end in Houston. With Daniels now out of the mix, Graham has a legitimate chance to equal or surpass the 49 catches and 545 yards he recorded in 13 games in 2013. In fact, coach Bill O'Brien plans to use him both as a tight end and an H-back, much in the mold of how O'Brien used Aaron Hernandez during his time in New England. Ryan Griffin will also see snaps, but Graham is the better fantasy option.
Auction...............$3
Bye Week.............10
Fleener had a nice second NFL season, posting 52 receptions for 608 yards and four touchdowns while finishing 13th in fantasy points at his position. If you delve deeper, though, you'll see a player who wasn't a reliable pass catcher or blocker. Fleener also saw more work in the offensive attack due to the absence of Dwayne Allen, who will return in 2014. That makes him unlikely to make a leap to the next level of fantasy stardom, even with Andrew Luck under center. Consider Fleener a fantasy backup.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............9
A fifth-year veteran out of Penn State, Quarless started 10 games in the absence of Jermichael Finley last season and finished with 312 yards and a two touchdowns. With Finley now out of the mix, Quarless will have a shot to compete for the starting role in what figures to be an explosive Packers offense. While he's never been much of a pass catcher at the pro level, he could still have some low-end value in deeper leagues. Fantasy owners should keep tabs on how well Quarless performs in training camp.
Auction...............$2
Bye Week.............11
After being extremely durable throughout his career, Lewis missed seven games in 2013 mainly due to a calf injury. He's spent his entire career in Jacksonville and his best season came in 2010 when he caught 58 passes for 700 yards and 10 touchdowns. Don't expect that kind of production this season from the 30-year-old tight end, but with an exteremly young receiving corps, Lewis could bring just the right amount veteran experience the Jags offense needs. He shouldn't be considered as more than a bye week fill in for fantasy purposes.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............9
Replacing a legend is close to impossible, and Toilolo is tasked with that scenario after the retirement of Tony Gonzalez. The favorite to start training camp atop the depth chart, Toilolo has the potential to be a nice red-zone threat at 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds. He does need to improve as an overall pass catcher and blocker, but Falcons GM Thomas Dimitroff thinks Toilolo has the skills to become a good player at the pro level. He's someone to watch and could be worth a late-round pick in drafts.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............4
Miller matched his career high with five touchdowns last year in Seattle. The 28-year-old restructured his contract this offseason and could see some more targets with the departure of Golden Tate to Detroit and the retirement of Sidney Rice. Just keep in mind that the Seahawks ranked 31st in the league last season in pass attempts.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............7
Once considered a surefire No. 1 fantasy tight end, Celek's value has tumbled in recent seasons. In fact, he's seen his reception and yardage totals decline in each of the last three years. With Zach Ertz in the mix, Celek is in danger of losing snaps and targets in what will be his eighth NFL season. In an offense that has plenty of weapons in the pass attack, including re-signed wide receivers Riley Cooper and Jeremy Maclin, Celek will be hard pressed to make much of an impact in the stat sheets.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............4
Gresham was a major fantasy sleeper at one time in his career, but it appears that he's already reached his statistical ceiling. After posting personal bests across the board in 2012, he saw his stats tumble last season. That had much to do with the addition of Tyler Eifert, who formed somewhat of a tight end committee with Gresham. Furthermore, it's now Eifert who should be the preferred Cincinnati tight end selected in drafts. Gresham, at best, will be worth a late-round selection as a fantasy backup.
Auction...............$1
Bye Week.............6
Kelce caught the attention of fantasy enthusiasts in Week 1 of the preseason when he made a catch and proceeded to burn the defense on his way to a 69-yard touchdown score. His big play should get him some more looks as the preseason wears on but he would still have to pass Anthony Fasano on the depth chart. He's worth a flier in later rounds but until we see more, don't count on hi as a TE1.
K RANKINGS 1-15
