Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

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

 
WEEK 5 RANKINGS  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF

Week 4 was not a banner one for tight ends. Frankly, it was downright unproductive. Only five tight ends registered double-digit fantasy points, and only two managed at least 90 receiving yards or 10 targets. The most disappointing part may be that the tight ends lacked scoring punch despite the week’s aerial barrage, which saw 15 quarterbacks throw for at least 299 yards, and five throw for at least 350 yards. There’s really only one way to go from here, and that’s up, so let’s take a look at this week’s fantasy prospects at tight end.

::RANKINGS UPDATED AS OF OCTOBER 6, 2012::

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

Gronk was tied third in fantasy points for the week at tight end, but was second with 104 yards and 11 targets to go with five catches, including a touchdown. He’s had double-digit fantasy point totals in three of his four games this season, and has proven worthy of his lofty draft status despite not yet having any of the monster 20+ point games that he had seven of last year. Those will come, and he should have a very good day this week against a Denver team that has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.
Point Projection: 17 points

2. Kyle Rudolph (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Tennessee

Rudolph was targeted five times last week in Minnesota’s win over Detroit, but made nothing happen, catching just two of the passes for a meager eight yards. So why is a guy who has just one game with at least 40 receiving yards number two in our rankings? Opportunity. Rudolph is a red-zone monster, and the Vikings face the Titans, who have allowed more fantasy points per game to tight ends than anyone else in the league. They’ve given up at least two touchdowns to tight ends in three of their four games this season.
Point Projection: 16 points

3. Jimmy Graham (New Orleans Saints) vs. San Diego

Graham’s seven catches on Sunday were tied for second among tight ends, and his nine targets were tied for third. He accumulated 76 receiving yards, but failed to find the end zone for the first time this season. Graham is fourth in fantasy scoring at the tight end position, and leads in targets. He faces a Chargers team this week that has allowed at least 69 receiving yards to opposing tight ends in three of their four games this year.
Point Projection: 14 points

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4. Tony Gonzalez (Atlanta Falcons) @ Washington

Gonzalez caught all five passes thrown his way last week, racking up 51 yards in the process. While his numbers were merely decent, he still leads all tight ends in fantasy points and receptions. And he has an opportunity to greatly expand on those numbers against a Redskins team that is second-to-last in the NFL in pass defense and has given up at least nine fantasy points to tight ends in three of their first four games this season.
Point Projection: 14 points

5. Vernon Davis (San Francisco 49ers) vs. Buffalo

Davis had only a pair of receptions for 28 yards and two targets in San Francisco’s blowout win over the Jets on Sunday. Then again, there wasn’t much need for the Niners to throw the ball, which they did only 22 times compared to 44 runs. So we’ll chalk Davis’ poor day up to situational hazard, and predict much better things to come this week against the Bills, who got scorched by Rob Gronkowski last week and are 23rd in the league in pass defense.
Point Projection: 11 points

6. Dennis Pitta (Baltimore Ravens) @ Kansas City

There was really no reason for Pitta to come up empty last week against Cleveland’s weak pass defense – but he did, failing to catch a single pass and getting only a pair of passes thrown his way. Still, he’s tied for fourth at his position in targets, and we aren’t going to be deterred by one no-show (though we’re very tempted to be). Pitta also faces the Chiefs this week, and they’re, to be blunt, very bad. They’ve allowed the 10th-most fantasy points in the league to opposing tight ends, and at least 50 receiving yards to players at the position in three of their four games this year.
Point Projection: 10 points

7. Antonio Gates (San Diego Chargers) @ New Orleans

The good news for Gates’ fantasy owners was that he had a season-high in fantasy points and receiving yards last week. The bad news was that it was only five points and 59 yards, which came on just three catches and three targets. This week he faces a Saints team that is tied with the Colts for fewest fantasy points per game allowed to tight ends. Nonetheless, he has to get it going at some point, and we think he’ll nearly double last week’s fantasy point total on Sunday night against the Saints.
Point Projection: 9 points

8. Martellus Bennett (New York Giants) vs. Cleveland

Bennett had his least productive game of the season on Sunday night against the Eagles, catching only one of the three balls thrown his way, and gaining two yards. A Giants tight end did find the end zone, but it was Bear Pascoe who came down with the TD reception, and not Bennett. This had to happen at some point, and our confidence in the former Cowboy has not waned. We like him to rebound this week against the Browns and their 28th-ranked pass defense.
Point Projection: 9 points

9. Fred Davis (Washington Redskins) vs. Atlanta

Davis had a solid outing against the Bucs in Week 4, with four catches that he turned into 70 yards. Though he has yet to score a touchdown, we’ve seen life out of Davis the past two weeks, as he’s gained 160 receiving yards compared to just 52 in the season’s first two weeks. The Falcons, who Davis and the Skins play this week, have a good pass defense, but can be exploited by tight ends. They allowed 73 yards and a score to tight ends in Week 1, and last week gave up 89 yards and a touchdown to Greg Olsen.
Point Projection: 8 points

10. Owen Daniels (Houston Texans) @ New York Jets

Daniels was one of the five tight ends to accumulate double-digit fantasy points last week, leading the Texans with six catches, six targets, 72 yards and one touchdown in their win over the Titans. Daniels is eighth at his position in fantasy scoring, having accumulated at least eight points in three of his four games this season. The Texans are a running team, so Daniels may struggle with inconsistency, but we like what he’s done so far and he’s proving to be a worthwhile back-up tight end and occasional starter for fantasy owners.
Point Projection: 7 points

11. Brent Celek (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Pittsburgh

Celek caught four passes on five targets for 57 yards during Philadelphia’s win over New York on Sunday night. He is the leader among tight ends in receiving yards (315) despite being tied for ninth in receptions, but he has yet to score a touchdown, which is what is truly holding him back in fantasy scoring. We think Celek breaks that trend this week against the Steelers, who have allowed double-digit fantasy points to tight ends in two of their three contests this year.
Point Projection: 6 points

12. Jared Cook (Tennessee Titans) @ Minnesota

Cook’s four targets in Tennessee’s loss to the Texans last week turned into only 36 yards on three catches. Jake Locker had to leave the game with an injury, and he’s almost certain to be out this week in Minnesota as well, but we still like Cook’s odds for a solid contest. The Vikings have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game in the league to tight ends, with players at the position accumulating at least seven points against them in each game this season. We think Cook will do a smidge better than that on Sunday, however he is a borderline TE1 this week.
Point Projection: 6 points

13. Jermichael Finley (Green Bay Packers) @ Indianapolis

Finely caught four passes for 54 yards in Green Bay’s win over New Orleans last week. He’s tied for sixth in receptions among tight ends, but just 17th in fantasy scoring because he’s 15th in receiving yards and lost a fumble. We don’t like his match-up this week either, facing a Colts team that hasn’t allowed more than 35 receiving yards to tight ends in any of their three games this season.
Point Projection: 6 points

14. Scott Chandler (Buffalo Bills) @ San Francisco

Chandler led all tight ends in fantasy scoring last week thanks to a pair of touchdowns and 68 yards on four receptions. He’s now fifth among tight ends in fantasy scoring, but we remain skeptical due not only to the fact that he takes on the 49ers this week, but also because four of his 12 receptions have been touchdowns. Those 12 catches are the fewest among the top-18 tight ends in fantasy scoring, which means if Chandler isn’t finding the end zone, he isn’t doing much.
Point Projection: 6 points

15. Greg Olsen (Carolina Panthers) vs. Seattle

Olsen tied for third in fantasy scoring last week in Carolina’s loss to the Falcons by hauling in six passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. He’s fifth at the tight end position in receptions, but we have a hard time seeing him doing a whole lot of damage this week against the Seahawks. Seattle is one of seven teams yet to allow a touchdown to a tight end, and they have given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points in the league to tight ends.
Point Projection: 6 points