Finding sleeping giants among tight ends in fantasy football has been difficult in the past. If you didn’t target the top-two, like Jimmy Graham or Rob Gronkowski, then your team was just not going to produce on a consistent basis with tight ends.
The tide seems to be changing a bit, though. Sure, Gronkowski is still a beast, and as long as he can avoid injuries, should be the main option again. However, if you pass on Gronk and decide another route, there are other options that can be solid producers.
Last season, Cleveland tight end Gary Barnidge finished second among tight ends in fantasy football points. He wasn’t on the radar in the preseason in 2015.
Benjamin Watson, Jordan Reed, Delanie Walker, Tyler Eifert and Travis Kelce were all decent options last season, and finished within 40 points of each other during the 16-game season.
That’s becoming more of a trend, with the 2014 season highlighting similar numbers. We’re a long ways away from 2013 when Graham finished more than 50 points ahead of second place, and more than 90 points away from sixth place.
Having the major tight-end contributor is still a decent fantasy play, since there is still some separation at the top. But the sleeper candidate is becoming more in play, as evidenced by Kelce in 2014 and Barnidge in 2015.
I already circled Tampa Bay tight end Austin Seferian-Jenkins as one of my top sleeper choices among all positions, so I’ll showcase two other tight ends I’m keeping an eye during the later rounds in my fantasy football draft.
Jimmy Graham, Seattle
How can I pass up Graham with an overall Average Draft Position of 109? He’s the ultimate boom or bust player, but I’m getting solid value, at least according to FantasyPros, which aggregates multiple fantasy football ADPs in their system.
At one point (see above), Graham was the ultimate fantasy football player at his position. He was a first-round draft pick and was a coveted player in all fantasy football leagues.
Then, he didn’t quite live up to expectations in 2014 and was shipped to Seattle in 2015 where he disappeared. However, he should be back from his injury late in the 2015 season and has another year of experience under his belt in the Seahawks’ system.
What I love about his value is that it’s not a big deal if he doesn’t produce. He’s the 14th-ranked tight end, so he’s outside the 12-team allotment for tight ends. So in a perfect world, he could be a late first selection for a tight end or be a backup option.
My mind tells me that many fantasy football owners will reach, though, which could be a bad decision. I believe he’s a solid pick based on pure potential in the ninth or 10th round. If you start creeping up into the seventh or earlier, then you’re reaching on a player who hasn’t been the same in the past two years.
If you can get him in the 10th or later rounds, then you may have a fantastic sleeper. If you’re reaching, then you could have an ultimate bust.
Julius Thomas, Jacksonville
I’m pretty sold on what Jacksonville is doing, so Thomas makes sense, especially with an ADP of 103, putting him near the 10th-ranked tight end, according to FantasyPros.
Thomas didn’t do much last season with the Jaguars, netting only five touchdowns and 37.9 yards per game in 12 games. However, he was new with the offense, so I’m going to give him a bit of a pass for his lack of production.
He showed for two consecutive years to be a touchdown machine for the Denver Broncos, going for 12 touchdowns apiece in years 2013 and 2014.
He can return as that type of player with an improved offense for the Jaguars looking to score more touchdowns in the red zone. As long as he can stay healthy and work with quarterback Blake Bortles, he could be a top-four tight end by season’s end.
