There’s some buzz with the three rookie tight ends selected in the first round – O.J. Howard, Evan Engram and David Njoku. This is the time of year where assistant coaches make comments about how ‘so-and-so is really standing out’ at practice, with those quotes than cycling through the various channels on the internet, strengthening the mistaken idea that any of them is likely to do much of anything this year.

Tight end is a notoriously tough position to pick up immediately, because of the dual responsibilities as blocker and pass catcher. On some teams, these players need to go to both the wide receiver and offensive line positional meetings. Heads tend to be left swimming. And for this particular year, we’ve got two prospects (Engram, Njoku) who look particularly soft as blockers. With Howard, he’s going to a team that already has a very good pass-catching tight end (Cameron Brate).

So if you’re looking for a breakout tight end for 2017, you are better focusing on the second-year tight ends – the guys who tended to crap out last year but now have a better idea of what’s going on.

In this century, only 11 rookie tight ends have finished in the top 15 (that’s standard fantasy scoring). But 31 tight ends in their second year have done this.

So for the 2017 season, I find myself more interested in the three best tight ends from last year’s draft (Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, Tyler Higbee) than these three first-round tight ends from this most-recent draft.

I will be happy to select Howard, Engram and Njoku next year. But very little interest in them for 2017.

Here are those 42 previously mentioned tight ends. I’ve got the rookies in bold. The final column (the rank) shows where they placed in that particular year.

TOP-15 TIGHT ENDS (1st & 2nd year)
YearPlayerNoYdsTDPointsRnk
2011Rob Gronkowski, N.E.90132718240.71
2011Jimmy Graham, N.O.99131011197.02
2004Antonio Gates, S.D.8196413174.41
2004Jason Witten, Dall.879806136.03
2011Aaron Hernandez, N.E.799107133.03
2014Travis Kelce, K.C.678626122.27
2002Todd Heap, Balt.688366121.61
2005Chris Cooley, Wash.717747119.45
2010Rob Gronkowski, N.E.4254610114.65
2016Cameron Brate, T.B.5766081146
2012Kyle Rudolph, Minn.534939105.39
2002Jeremy Shockey, NYG748942101.43
2015Richard Rodgers, G.B.585108101.09
2009John Carlson, Sea.51574799.411
2014Larry Donnell, NYG63623698.311
2009Jermichael Finley, G.B.55676597.613
2010Brandon Pettigrew, Det.71722496.211
2016Hunter Henry, S.D.36478895.811
2011Jermaine Gresham, Cin.56596695.613
2007Owen Daniels, Hou.63768394.88
2010Aaron Hernandez, N.E.45563692.313
2013Coby Fleener, Ind.52608488.813
2014Zach Ertz, Phil.58702388.213
2008Greg Olsen, Chi.54574587.410
2013Tim Wright, T.B.54571587.114
2001Bubba Franks, G.B.36322986.26
2008Zach Miller, Oak.56778183.811
2015Eric Ebron, Det.47537583.713
2005Heath Miller, Pitt.39459681.911
2003Randy McMichael, Mia.49598377.84
2002Alge Crumpler, 36455575.58
2007Vernon Davis, S.F.52509474.914
2002Randy McMichael, Mia.39485472.59
2004Dallas Clark, Ind.25423572.311
2008Dustin Keller, NYJ48535371.514
2006Heath Miller, Pitt.34393569.313
2005Benjamin Watson, N.E.29441468.115
2004L.J. Smith, Phil.34377567.713
2004Chris Cooley, Wash.37314667.414
2003Jeremy Shockey, NYG48535265.510
2006Owen Daniels, Hou.34352565.214
2001Eric Johnson, S.F.40362356.215

—Ian Allan