Bruno Boys Fantasy Football

13. Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) @ New Orleans

Shiancoe caught 11 touchdowns last season as part of a 56-catch, 566-yard campaign. He had seven touchdowns in 2008, so it was no fluke that he found his way into the end zone that many times in 2010. He may be called on to do so again this year now that Sidney Rice is gone for at least six weeks and Percy Harvin has been slowed by migraines. And while Shiancoe did catch four passes for 83 yards against the Saints in last season’s playoff loss, the match-up is not one to write home about, hence his mid-range ranking. New Orleans allowed just a single touchdown to opposing tight ends last year, and only three teams allowed fewer fantasy points to tight ends all season.
Point Projection: 6 points

14. Tony Scheffler (Detroit Lions) @ Chicago

Scheffler will finally get a chance to play nearly every down for the Lions after not getting that opportunity in recent seasons with the Broncos. The athletic tight end is one of Detroit’s better receiving options, and since the team is not deep at wideout, he’ll get some looks playing in the slot. Brandon Pettigrew will get his share of looks, but he’s a much better blocker than Scheffler, and will be used in that capacity more often (not to mention the fact that Pettigrew is coming off a knee injury). To sweeten the pot even more for fantasy football owners, Chicago was not good against tight ends last season – they were one of only three teams to allow them to find the end zone at least 10 times.
Point Projection: 6 points

15. Jeremy Shockey (New Orleans Saints) vs. Minnesota

Shockey had an average season last year with New Orleans, hauling in a total of 48 passes for 569 yards and three touchdowns. He’ll never again be a top-tier fantasy football tight end, but we have him in the top-15 this week based a lot on his match-up. Just four squads gave up more fantasy points to tight ends last season than the Minnesota Vikings, and just two allowed players at that position to catch more passes. Despite the fact he had just one catch for nine yards in New Orleans’ playoff win over the Vikings last season, we like him to have a solid game here.
Point Projection: 5 points

16. Dustin Keller (NY Jets) vs. Baltimore

Keller caught 45 passes for 522 yards with two scores last season, and is in line for numbers that should a little better, especially in the touchdown department, now that Mark Sanchez has another year under his belt. Keller is a great athlete with run after the catch ability, but the team will have to make a conscious effort to get the ball in his hands, especially against the Baltimore Ravens. Only one team allowed fewer catches to opposing tight ends last season than they did, but this is a different team with a banged-up secondary that could be exploited.
Point Projection: 5 points

17. John Carlson (Seattle Seahawks) vs. San Francisco

Carlson had a great start to the 2009 campaign, catching a pair of touchdowns in the season opener against the St. Louis Rams, and also ended the season with a flourish, nabbing a touchdown in each of his last four contests; the middle of the season, however … not so great. Still, he had decent totals of 51 receptions for 574 yards and seven scores. It should be interesting to see how he progresses this season in an offense that is lacking in threats at the wide receiver position. That’ll begin this week with the San Francisco 49ers, who were very good against opposing tight ends last season, and indeed, Carlson had just one catch for nine yards against them in Week 13. However, it’s also worth noting that he had a decent enough outing against them in Week 2, with six receptions for 46 yards.
Point Projection: 5 points

18. Todd Heap (Baltimore Ravens) @ NY Jets

Heap had a solid season last year, amassing 53 receptions for 593 yards and six touchdowns, but he makes us weary for a number of reasons. First is the fact that the team has more legit wideouts than at any time in the recent past, with Anquan Boldin, Derrick Mason and T.J. Houshmandzadeh. Also, Heap is notoriously injury prone, despite staying on the field last year. Finally, he has two talented rookies nipping at his heels for playing time. So color us pessimistic about him this season, including this week, when he faces a New York Jets team that allowed the fourth-fewest receptions to opposing tight ends last season.
Point Projection: 4 points

19. Jermaine Gresham (Cincinnati Bengals) @ New England

Gresham was seemingly struggling early in camp, but turned it on later. In fact, his 12 preseason catches were tied for the most among all NFL tight ends, and he was fourth in yards among players at the position. The team also cut their third-round pick from last season, tight end Chase Coffman, a prolific pass-catcher in college, which probably says more about Coffman than Gresham, but is at least worth noting.
Point Projection: 4 points

20. Bo Scaife (Tennessee Titans) vs. Oakland

Scaife scored just one time last season, though he says he was hurt for most of it (knee), but played through the pain. His other numbers were solid – 45 catches for 440 yards, however, he is in an offense that begins and ends with Chris Johnson. Don’t look for him to suddenly gallop to the end zone in Week 1, however. The Oakland Raiders allowed only two touchdowns to opposing tight ends last year, and no team allowed fewer receptions to players at that position.
Point Projection: 4 points

21. Brandon Pettigrew (Detroit Lions) @ Chicago

Pettigrew did not suit up initially in preseason contests as he recovered from a knee injury that cut his season short last season, but he got in on the action later, and will be on the field in Week 1. He was having a solid debut season when he got hurt in Week 12, having caught 30 passes for 346 yards and two scores. Though Pettigrew will get his opportunities to catch the ball, Tony Scheffler will get more looks in Detroit’s two tight end sets.
Point Projection: 3 points

22. Kevin Boss (NY Giants) vs. Carolina

Boss’s 2009 season was solid, but he remains a TE2 for fantasy football purposes. The Giants have a plethora of wideouts they can throw to, and that relegates Boss to a secondary option. Case in point: seven times last season, Boss hauled in two or fewer passes during a game. Add in the fact that the Carolina Panthers allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points to tight ends last year, and you have a mediocre option.
Point Projection: 3 points

23. Anthony Fasano (Miami Dolphins) @ Buffalo

Fasano scored only twice in 2009, which was a disappointment after he found the end zone seven times in 2008. He also accumulated only 31 catches for 339 yards last year, which was equally as dissatisfying. Fact is, he’s a bit overrated in fantasy football circles, and it would take an enormous improvement for him to be anything but a decent-depending-on-the-match-up TE2.
Point Projection: 3 points

24. Rob Gronkowski (New England Patriots) vs. Cincinnati

Gronkowski made a bunch of noise this preseason due to his four touchdown receptions, including one in which he dragged St. Louis Rams linebacker James Laurinitis a couple yards as Laurinitis held on to Gronkowski’s foot. Still, there is reason to hold off hope on Gronkowski for the time being. One of which is that the team will throw early and often to wideouts Randy Moss and Wes Welker. Another is that New England also drafted Aaron Hernandez at tight end, and he was also impressive in the preseason.
Point Projection: 3 points

25. Michael Hoomanawanui (St. Louis Rams) vs. Arizona

His nickname is “Uh-oh” because his last name is so damned difficult to pronounce. But if he continues to play the way he did in the preseason, you may have to try your hand at saying it when fantasy drafts roll around in future seasons. That’s because Hoomanawanui was second among all tight ends in receiving yards during the preseason, and tied for second with two touchdown catches. We’ll have to wait and see if that translates to the regular season, but Sam Bradford is clearly comfortable throwing to his fellow rookie.
Point Projection: 3 points

26. David Thomas (New Orleans Saints) vs. Minnesota

We told you about the Minnesota Vikings’ penchant for allowing tight ends to catch passes with as much frequency as Chad Ochocinco tweets, which is one reason to believe Thomas will be at least a middling factor in the Saints’ attack in the season opener this week. Still, he’s the back-up to Shockey, and as such will only play a secondary role. In last season’s playoff game against the Vikings, Thomas collected three catches for 36 yards.
Point Projection: 2 points

27. Owen Daniels (Houston Texans) vs. Indianapolis

Considering his talent, and the offense he plays in, we’d like to put Daniels higher, and we will once the season starts rolling, but for now he’s back here. The reasons are two-fold. First, and most importantly, Daniels is coming back from an ACL injury that ended his season in Week 8 of last season, and will reportedly only get about 20 snaps during the game against the Indianapolis Colts. Secondly, no team was stingier against tight ends last season than the Colts, who allowed the fewest fantasy football points to opposing tight ends in the league.
Point Projection: 2 points

28. Fred Davis (Washington Redskins) vs. Dallas

Davis saved many a fantasy football squads last year when Chris Cooley went down in Week 7. Davis had a total of 48 receptions for 509 yards and six scores last season, but he amassed 41 catches, 464 yards and all six of his scores when Cooley was out. With people in Washington maintaining that Cooley will once again emerge as the top tight end, and one of Donovan McNabb’s favorite targets, we’re not sure how much room that leaves for Davis to contribute. It should also be noted that in two games against the Cowboys last season, both without Cooley, Davis collected a total of just four catches for 53 yards.
Point Projection: 2 points

29. Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) vs. Denver

If you are still holding out hope that the former first-round pick can become a legit threat in the Jaguars passing game, get in line. Maybe it comes this year, but we tend to doubt it. While it’s true he’s racked up more receiving yards in each year since his rookie campaign (with 518 last season), he has not scored more than two times in any of his four seasons, and we just aren’t confident that he’ll blossom.
Point Projection: 2 points

30. Ben Watson (Cleveland Browns) @ Tampa Bay

We’re not big fans of Watson’s, but he’s on this list because A) he’s a starting tight end with solid pass-catching ability, and B) only four teams allowed more receptions to opposing tight ends last season than the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. So, are we thoroughly optimistic that Watson will get a lot done? Nope. Can we at least see it happening? Possibly. But don’t hold your breath.
Point Projection: 2 points

 
Week 1 Rankings:  QB  |  RB  |  WR  |  TE  |  K  |  DEF  (click to read)

Week 1 Start & Sit:  Start ‘Em  | Sit ‘Em  (click to read)

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