That continued this past season, as you can see here on this inside running play with the TE working up to the second level on a combination block:. So sure, Gronkowski might not be the best in the game anymore, but he is still among the top players at his position, and still looks to have a lot left in the tank. The struggles from Philadelphia Eagles tight end Zach Ertz were a little easier to handle thanks to the performance from fellow tight end Dallas Goedert.
His third season in the NFL did see him lose time due to injuries, but in just 11 games Goedert hauled in 46 passes for yards and three touchdowns, setting career-high marks in both yards per reception Why Goedert appears so high on this list is due to a combination of his route-running, which you see here on this double-move:.
For an offense that traditionally focuses on the quick game and YAC, Goedert is a nice weapon to have. If you are going to be a tight end for the Baltimore Ravens, you need to have the complete tool-kit. That is why Mark Andrews appears so high on this list. Both of which he does very well. First the receiving part, which you see here as he separates from man coverage on a crossing route:.
Then the blocking, which you see here as he serves as a lead blocker in a run out of a diamond pistol formation:. Expectations remain high in Baltimore, and with Andrews in the mix there are reasons to believe that the offense will take a big step forward in Waller is the latest in the modern move tight end mold, a player who can run routes with the footwork and quickness of a wide receiver, but whose size and frame make him tough for a defensive back to cover.
The kind of player you gameplan for, like Bill Belichick did earlier this past season. Even being limited in that outing against the New England Patriots, Waller put up impressive numbers in He caught passes for 1, yards and nine touchdowns, all of which were career-high marks. What stands out the most watching him, at least for me, is the change-of-direction skills, which you see on this route against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers:.
But I also love seeing plays like this, with the tight end chipping on the edge before releasing downfield:. Waller has certainly found a home with the Las Vegas Raiders, and a few more seasons like might see him crash the top-two party at the position. Protect Travis Kelce at all costs pic. Kelce is every bit the matchup nightmare at the position that strikes fear in the hearts of NFL defensive coordinators, with his ability to separate from man coverage whether facing a safety, a linebacker or a cornerback.
You can see that at the start of this video breaking down the Kansas City offense against the Carolina Panthers:. Beyond that, there is what Kelce offers after the catch, as he did on this play against the Miami Dolphins:. Both Kelce and Kittle are elite talents at the position, generational types of players.
Gates also started as a college basketball player. His best season in the modern era came in at 32, 4 yards per game average. The danger and damage of this tight end were centered four years before the Super Bowl era.
It made Ditka one of the most famous tight ends in his era. The only player to also hit double-digit touchdown seasons was Rob Gronkowski, the 6th place in this list. One of the most dominant tight ends that we can see today is Gronkowski. With his stellar performances and synergies with Tom Brady, he made the Patriots one of the most dominant franchises of the season since In , he went on to win another title with the Bucs.
During the nine seasons of his entire career, Gronkowski earned five Pro Bowl nominations and set countless records. Four years on the All-Pro lineup and 2x Super Bowls speaks volumes about the power of this traditional tight end. At pounds, Casper was a prominent player with solid physical abilities. His long arms, large hands, and ability to ignore contact to the point of catching up are the most profound impressions of him. For 15 seasons, he served as the foundation of the Dallas Cowboys.
It's just that Carr has found other players to target effectively in the meantime. The Dolphins seemingly didn't remember they had Gesicki on their roster until Week 3. No worries, though, as he's once again become an important part of Miami's offense, catching at least four passes in each of the team's last four games, highlighted by an eight-catch, yard performance in London in Week 6.
He's racked up yards despite only catching 30 passes on the year, and he's improved Miami's chances along the way, helping Jacoby Brissett and Tua Tagovailoa combine to post a He's also exceeded his expected catch rate by 3. Gesicki has gained the second-most yards per reception on targets of plus air yards Miami has more options with the addition of Jaylen Waddle , but the Dolphins would still be wise to feed Gesicki. The No. His first true breakout performance came a week later, when the Falcons went to Pitts 10 times for nine receptions, yards and his first career touchdown in a win over the Jets in London.
Pitts was drafted so high in part because he stands as the model of what the tight end might look like in the future, and the numbers back it up: Pitts leads tight ends in receiving yards when aligned wide with He became a focal point in Calvin Ridley 's absence in that Week 5 game, and he should remain one for the rest of the season if the Falcons hope to reverse their slow start to The Lions spent the offseason talking about how there was still more to get out of Hockenson -- " more meat on the bone " is the phrase that was used -- and they haven't been shy about throwing in his direction this season.
Hockenson is tied with Andrews for the second-most targets among tight ends 44 , and he's caught 32 of them for yards, but he's also one of only two tight ends on this list to fall under 10 yards per catch so far this season. Frankly, though, Hockenson would be the same reliable option for any quarterback. With two TD catches so far, he's a third of the way to his receiving touchdown total from last season six and has 11 games left to reach it, meaning Detroit might want to throw in his direction more in the red zone.
The Lions have plenty to figure out, but one position they don't need to overanalyze is tight end. Hockenson has that locked down. While we continue to attempt to figure out who the Broncos are in terms of identity, we can enjoy consistent production from Fant, who isn't lighting up the stat box but has steadily climbed toward receiving yards through six games.
Fant is another tight end who falls under 10 yards per reception, and he owns numbers rather similar to those of Hockenson. The difference: Fant has scored one more touchdown, and Broncos quarterbacks Teddy Bridgewater , Drew Lock haven't thrown an interception when targeting him.
He's also been more of a threat downfield, and a very reliable one, posting the second-highest catch rate The Broncos looked like a high-flying offensive machine in the first three weeks and have since regressed, but Fant has trended in the opposite direction. If they want to get back on track, they'd be wise to keep going to Fant, especially when he has a favorable matchup. Henry was one of two lauded offseason signings at tight end for the Patriots, and so far, he's outperforming his counterpart, Jonnu Smith.
Henry caught a touchdown pass for the third straight game in Sunday's overtime loss to Dallas, and he seems to have settled into a somewhat consistent pattern of production, averaging four catches and 44 yards per game over that span. It's not exactly explosive, but that stems more from a lack of targets than anything. Henry is one of just two players on our list with less than 30 targets through six weeks, explaining his relatively paltry receiving yards.
Hunter Henry is in the mix, but has been dealing with injuries and is starting to feel like a possible bust. Without any true No. Cookie banner We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from.
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