One way to maximize the talent you can acquire in your draft is to ignore the extremely top-heavy tight end position. Obviously Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham headline the rankings and are the first tight ends taken in every fantasy draft. But is it really worth using a high pick on them or a mid-round pick on a player that may be waiver fodder by Week 4? I will explain to you why the answer may be a resounding "No".

First lets discuss the two stud tight ends I just mentioned. Every season, Gronkowski has a chance to dominate his position more than any other player in fantasy football. But the downside with Gronk is very pronounced as well, with a season-ending injury always potentially around the corner. Add in that his All-World quarterback will likely be suspended for the first four games of the season and you realize that passing on a playmaker at running back or receiver for the man-child in New England may not be the wisest move.

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• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

As for Graham, he goes from the only NFL offense he has ever known that emphasized the perfect gameplan for his abilities to a team that ran the ball more than any team outside of the Houston Texans last year. "The Jimmy" has never been known as a great run blocker and while Seattle didn't pay a hefty price to acquire someone they don't plan to use a lot, if the running game struggles, Graham could see his snaps get eaten into. And while Jimmy may not have a track record of season-ending injuries like Gronk, he does seem to suffer from nagging injuries that cut into his production right around fantasy playoff time. If you don't believe me, ask anyone that has owned the former Saint over the last few seasons. And make sure to bring plenty of tissues as they tell you their sob stories.

So now that I have bashed two of the best players in fantasy football, let me give you the other reasons to avoid tight ends altogether at your draft. First off, the position is a magnet for injuries. If going over the middle against linebackers and safeties wasn't bad enough, tight ends are also asked to help out in the trenches with the running game. The aforementioned injury histories of Gronk and Graham are not just unique to those two players. There is a litany of other tight ends that just can't seem to stay on the field due to the punishment of the position. Tight ends are also extremely reliant on the play calling of the offensive coordinator. While any WR1 should expect plenty of targets regardless of the system, the way a tight end is used can vary greatly from coordinator to coordinator. Look at the difference in production that Jordan Cameron had in 2013 and 2014. When tight end friendly Norv Turner was calling the shots in Cleveland, Cameron broke out with 80 receptions, 917 yards and seven touchdowns. The following season, Kyle Shanahan took the reigns for the Browns' offense and Cameron sputtered to the tune of 24 receptions, 424 yards and two touchdowns. To be fair, Cameron did suffer a nasty concussion that caused him to miss five games. But even if he had stayed healthy, the usage from 2013 simply did not carry over to 2014.

Due to all of these factors, it is very hard to predict which tight ends will become impact players and which will flame out. Vernon Davis and the aforementioned Cameron were two names going in the middle rounds of last year's drafts and each of them finished with less points than the immortal Lance Kendricks. Meanwhile, Antonio Gates, who was available on the waiver wire in most leagues after the draft, finished 2014 as the second most productive tight end. The difference in points between the No. 5 tight end (Martellus Bennett) and the No. 12 tight end (Larry Donnell) was less than three points per game. When you add up all these factors, it is probably your best bet to strengthen the rest of your roster and worry about tight end after the draft is over.

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