Top 15 Tight Ends

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Tight ends are some of the most intriguing players on the field. Some can be a key piece in an offense and others can be an after thought. Tight ends can cover up some of the deficiencies with the offensive line, quarterback, running back or receivers. They can also cause more problems if they can’t contribute the way that they are expected to. Here are the top 15 tight ends entering the 2017 season.
 
If you like this list, please check out the others in this series: QB, RB, WR

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15. Eric Ebron
Eric Ebron is constantly improving and is primed for a breakout season. He has improved his yards per catch and total yards in each of his three seasons and is only getting more comfortable in the Jim Bob Cooter offense. He has good chemistry with Mathew Stafford and had all of his production, despite playing through injuries. The most impressive thing about Ebron is that he hasn’t fumbled the ball at all at the professional level and that makes him a great target knowing that the ball is secure. He needs to find the endzone more and improve his blocking, but as he gets healthy and more experience, Ebron should be a good tight end.

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14. Antonio Gates
It seems like every year, everyone thinks that Antonio Gates is going to retire, but he is still playing and producing. He only missed two games last season and still gives Philip Rivers a big target to throw the ball to. His yards and receptions were some of the lowest of his career last season, but given the amount of attention he was getting because of how beat up the Chargers were, it isn’t surprising. With a healthy Keenan Allen and a young Mike Williams, Gates could have a productive 2017 season.

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13. O.J. Howard
As the only rookie on this list, it is hard not to put Howard higher. His potential is undeniable and should be an excellent target and a good blocker for Jameis Winston. At one point during the draft process, OJ Howard was thought of as a top ten player, but seemed to have dropped because of the position that he plays. He should make an impact for the Buccaneers from day one and could even be an offensive rookie of the year contender. 

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12. Zach Ertz
Zach Ertz has been consistently good throughout his four-year career and should only get better this season. Carson Wentz will be in his second season and the Eagles will have more weapons to take some of the attention off Ertz. He had his career high in catches and touchdowns last season, despite his yards per catch being at an all-time low, showing that he has Wentz’s faith and their chemistry should be better this season. Ertz still needs to improve his blocking, as he sometimes looks like he isn’t even trying to block, but he is still a good tight end in the NFL.

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11. Coby Fleener
Coby Fleener is a solid tight end that does everything good. In his first season in New Orleans, Fleener struggled a little bit, but it was also the first time that he had a starting quarterback that wasn’t Andrew Luck since 2008. He needs to build up his chemistry with Drew Brees and should be able to do that as he is one of the best route running tight ends in the NFL. His blocking isn’t the best, but he isn’t required to do that often and gives good effort when does have to. He should improve going into his second season with the Saints, it is just a matter of how much.

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10. Julius Thomas
Julius Thomas has dropped off dramatically since leaving Denver, but that is probably because of the scheme change, nagging injuries, and going from Peyton Manning to Blake Bortles. Now that he was traded to Miami, he is now reunited with Adam Gase and Ryan Tannehill should be an upgrade over Bortles. The concern is that he has never played a full season in his six years in the league. If he can stay healthy and make an impact for the Dolphins, then he should be able to get higher on this list. 

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9. Tyler Eifert
When healthy, Tyler Eifert is a top-five tight end. The problem is that he has never played a full 16 games in any of his four seasons as a professional. Eifert in his last two seasons has caught 71 passes for 1,009 yards and 18 touchdowns in only 21 games. His production in the red zone is undeniable and he constantly makes Andy Dalton a better quarterback. One thing that had a negative effect on his production last season was the loss of AJ Green. Without Green, there was a lot more attention paid to Eifert, causing his numbers to drop. If he and Green are both healthy next season, then the Bengals could be back in the playoff picture.

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8. Jimmy Graham
Jimmy Graham looked like he was significantly more comfortable in Seattle than he did in 2015. He averaged the most yards per catch of his career with 14.2 and had six touchdowns. As his chemistry with Russell Wilson grows, Graham should be able to crack the top five again. He still isn’t the best blocker, which hurts because of how poor Seattle’s offensive line is, but he gives Wilson a quick option if the offensive line breaks down. Entering his third season with Seattle, he should become a more reliable option and make the Seahawks a bigger threat in the NFC.

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7. Delanie Walker
Delanie Walker is a mismatch nightmare and is the focal point of the Titans passing attack. His statistics weren’t as good in 2016 as they were in 2015, but he was a better player. He has helped Marcus Mariota make an easier transition to the NFL. Walker is also an excellent blocker on a team that already has a good offensive line, helping DeMarco Murray and Mariota transition easier into the Tennessee system. He has two years left on his contract and at the age of 32, Walker hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down and probably won't this season either.

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6. Martellus Bennett
Martellus Bennett had an outstanding season last year in New England. Gronkowski was in and out of the lineup with injuries and Bennett stepped up and became one of the main targets for Tom Brady last season. Now, he has the chance to play with another great quarterback, Aaron Rodgers. Rodgers tends to make everyone around him better, much like Brady, and if Bennett can look any better than he did last season, it could get scary in the NFC.

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​5. Jason Witten
Jason Witten might not be as athletic as he was ten years ago, but his leadership ability and consistency still makes him one of the best tight ends in the NFL. His statistics tailed off a little bit last season, but helping a rookie quarterback adjust can do that to any receiving threat. He still also a consistent blocker and can help the outstanding offensive line in Dallas. Witten might be closer to end of his career than the beginning, but that doesn’t mean that he isn’t still good.

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4. Jordan Reed
Jordan Reed is possibly the best receiving tight end in the NFL when he is healthy, but he hasn’t been healthy for a full season in his four years. If he were able to stay healthy, then he could be higher on this list with his productivity. In his four seasons, Reed has averaged 10.5 yards per catch and five touchdowns per season. He needs to improve his blocking, but as a weapon, there are few that are better than Jordan Reed.

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3. Travis Kelce
Travis Kelce has been better each season that he has played. He had a big breakout season last year, improving in almost every statistical category, with the exception of touchdowns. He averaged just over 70 yards per game and had no fumbles through his 85 receptions. He is the main weapon for Alex Smith, especially now with Jeremy Maclin gone, and he will play a vital role if the Chiefs decide to switch to Patrick Mahomes. It is hard to imagine Kelce playing better than he did last season, but if he does, it is hard to imagine the Chiefs not in the playoffs.

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​2. Rob Gronkowski
In terms of talent, Rob Gronkowski is the best tight end in the NFL, but the problem is that he has a lot of injuries. Gronkowski hasn’t played in all sixteen games since 2011 and has missed at least five games in three of the last five seasons. Last season, he had the least amount of yards, receptions and touchdowns of his career last season. Going into this season, everything looks like he will be ready to go and if he stays healthy, he should be able to dominate the NFL again.

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1. Greg Olsen
Greg Olsen has three straight seasons of at least 1,000 yards and hasn’t missed a game since 2007. He is the most reliable receiver for the Panthers and would make an impact for any team. The Panthers will also move him any where on the field and he can run any route. He is also a good blocker that is needed for the Panthers to succeed with their woes along the offensive line. He seems to be getting better and better and is the most important player for Cam Newton to get back to the top. Olsen’s consistency and ability have him as the top tight end heading into the 2017 season.

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