Ian Allan
If it seems to you like tight ends are catching more passes and touchdowns than they used to, it’s true. They’re a lot more productive than they have been in the past.
Check out the charts below. They show the top 20 tight ends (in terms of points per game) from 10 years ago versus today. And today’s tight ends are better (more productive, at least) across the board.
Back in 2000, only one tight end (Tony Gonzalez) averaged more than 7 points per game using the fantasy scoring system of 6 points for TDs and 1 point for every 10 yards. But last year, there were 12 of those guys. Heath Miller finished as the No. 12 itght ends, but he would have been 2nd in 2000.
This doesn’t necessarily mean tight ends are more valuable. Sure, they are producing more stats, but it’s also possible to get more value with later-round picks. Why, for example, break the bank for a tight end like Dallas Clark or Antonio Gates, when you might pick up 7 points per game in the late rounds from a Miller or Greg Olsen?
TOP TIGHT ENDS OF 2000
Ordered by fantasy points per game, and showing only tight ends who started at least eight games. Fantasy scoring system = 1 point per 10 yards and 6 points for TDs.
Yds TD FPG
75.2 .56 10.9 Tony Gonzalez
50.6 .31 6.9 Shannon Sharpe
52.8 .25 6.8 Wesley Walls
47.9 .31 6.7 Freddie Jones
45.6 .21 5.8 Kyle Brady
39.8 .29 5.7 Frank Wycheck
45.9 .19 5.7 Chad Lewis
31.0 .42 5.6 Jay Riemersma
33.6 .19 4.5 Ken Dilger
30.9 .19 4.2 Dwayne Carswell
27.4 .21 4.0 Marcus Pollard
31.9 .13 3.9 Stephen Alexander
19.1 .33 3.9 Jackie Harris
21.9 .25 3.7 Rickey Dudley
25.3 .13 3.3 David Sloan
17.6 .25 3.3 Andrew Glover
19.3 .20 3.1 Christian Fauria
22.8 .13 3.1 Greg Clark
25.0 .08 3.0 Bubba Franks
18.0 .19 2.9 Dave Moore
34.1 .24 4.9 Average for 2000
TOP TIGHT ENDS OF 2009
Ordered by fantasy points per game, and showing only tight ends who started at least eight games. Fantasy scoring system = 1 point per 10 yards and 6 points for TDs.
Yds TD FPG
60.3 .81 10.9 Vernon Davis
69.1 .63 10.7 Dallas Clark
64.9 .63 10.2 Owen Daniels
72.3 .50 10.2 Antonio Gates
60.7 .50 9.1 Brent Celek
55.8 .42 8.1 Jermichael Finley
54.2 .38 7.7 Tony Gonzalez
35.4 .69 7.7 Visanthe Shiancoe
42.9 .56 7.6 Fred Davis
55.3 .31 7.4 Kellen Winslow
64.4 .13 7.2 Jason Witten
49.3 .38 7.2 Heath Miller
38.3 .50 6.8 Greg Olsen
53.7 .20 6.6 Zach Miller
35.9 .44 6.2 John Carlson
37.1 .38 6.0 Todd Heap
37.8 .33 5.8 Kevin Boss
43.8 .23 5.8 Jeremy Shockey
34.6 .20 4.7 Brandon Pettigrew
25.3 .31 4.4 Benjamin Watson
49.5 .42 7.5 Average for 2009
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