Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

- Written by Kyle Smith
- Edited by Marc Caviglia
- Predictions are based on Staff Consensus

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF JANUARY 11, 2012::

Forty targets, 28 receptions, 497 yards, eight touchdowns (oh, and 61 rushing yards to boot) – those were the cumulative totals at the tight end position. On Saturday. In the first two games of the divisional playoffs. Granted, things got a lot less fruitful at the position during the Sunday games, but it was still an outstanding week at the tight end position for fantasy owners. It will be nearly impossible for the tight ends to replicate that type of performance in the conference championship games, but there are still plenty of fantasy points to be had. Let’s take a look at how things will mete out this week.

Standard Scoring

Pass TD: 4 points |  All Other TDs: 6 points
25 Passing Yards: 1 point |  All Turnovers: -2 points
10 Rushing Yards: 1 point |  10 Receiving Yards: 1 point

1. Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) vs. Baltimore

Gronkowski’s superb season carried right over into the playoffs, as he destroyed the Broncos for 10 catches, 145 yards and three touchdowns. He was targeted 12 times in the contest, and it was clear from the get-go that Denver could do little to stand in his way. The Ravens will be a tougher match-up for Gronk, as they allowed only three scores to tight ends all year, allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to tight ends, and only once let an opposing team’s tight ends combine for double-digit fantasy points. But they didn’t face many elite players at the position over the course of the regular season, and certainly none with the unique match-up problems that Gronkowski gives. Expect another outstanding day from the league’s best tight end.
Point Projection: 18 points

2. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers) vs. New York Giants

Davis made the second most famous catch by a tight end in 49ers history last week against New Orleans, snaring the game-winning touchdown with nine seconds to go in San Francisco’s come from behind thriller. He had 180 yards and two touchdowns on seven receptions in the game, but if the Giants are smart, they won’t follow the same defensive game plan that the Saints threw at him, with Malcolm Jenkins feebly trying to defend Davis one-on-one. But New York did allow the fifth-most fantasy points to tight ends in the regular season, and Davis had three catches for 40 yards and a touchdown when these two teams played back in Week 10, so there is evidence to suggest that Davis can come up big in the most important game of his career.
Point Projection: 12 points

3. Aaron Hernandez (New England Patriots) vs. Baltimore

Not only did Hernandez catch four passes for 55 yards and a touchdown, he also ran the ball five times for 61 yards lining up in the backfield as a running back. Though this probably doesn’t change his position eligibility for next season, it will give the Ravens something to work on this week. Don’t expect the same type of rushing numbers from Hernandez this week, even if he does get a few carries, because the element of surprise is gone. He’s not going to put up the same type of digits as Gronkowski, but will still find a way to be productive.
Point Projection: 9 points

4. Jake Ballard (New York Giants) @ San Francisco

Ballard’s eight targets last week were the second-most on the team, and just one fewer than receiver Hakeem Nicks, but Ballard’s production was unsubstantial, with only a single reception for 17 yards, or six fewer catches and 147 fewer yards than Nicks. The targets are encouraging, and make us think that he’ll continue to be a part of the team’s game plan this week, but San Francisco allowed the fifth-fewest fantasy points in the league to opposing tight ends, and Ballard had just three catches for 35 yards against the 49ers when they played in Week 10.
Point Projection: 4 points

5. Ed Dickson (Baltimore Ravens) @ New England

Dickson had only one catch (four targets) for 14 yards last week against Houston, but that wasn’t completely unexpected facing a good Houston defense. New England doesn’t have that type of defense, but oddly enough, the Patriots, who were horrible against the pass this season, allowed the third-fewest fantasy points in the league to opposing tight ends. But upon closer examination, those numbers are a bit misleading. Only four times in 16 games did they face off against a tight end that was in the top-17 in fantasy points, and while they held Dustin Keller down twice, Jason Witten had 10 fantasy points against them, and Brent Celek had seven. Still, Dickson’s brief flashes this season aren’t enough to give us confidence that he can put up decent fantasy points in this contest.
Point Projection: 3 points

6. Dennis Pitta (Baltimore Ravens) @ New England

Pitta was a bit more productive than teammate Dickson last week, with a pair of receptions for 29 yards on four targets. Still, he was behind Dickson in every statistical category during the regular season, and is only a bit part in a Baltimore offense that relies more on the run than the pass. It’s not completely impossible to envision either he or Dickson finding the end zone, but we certainly wouldn’t count on it, and in no way recommend installing them in your postseason fantasy lineups.
Point Projection: 2 points