Fantasy Football: The Tight End Tango

Legendary San Francisco Forty Niners Coach Bill Walsh once said that the tight end is the most under utilized position in modern football.

The white haired wizard said teams don't attack properly with their tight ends, but instead let them linger in limbo. Not quite a tackle, not an effective receiver, but always almost ready to be worked into the game plan.

So the tight ends suffer in fantasy football land.

The best tight ends form an uncanny bond with their quarterbacks. This takes a bit of time playing together and much off season practise, but when it works well it seems like a harried quarterback and his tight end almost have telepathy.

Tight end telepathy.

Think Troy Aikmen and Jay Novacek. Steve Young and Brent Jones. Dan Fouts and Kellen Winslow. Ken Stabler and Dave Casper. Johnny Unitas and John Mackey.

Seldom do teams run the Ghost to the Post type plays—that beautiful pass and catch between Stabler and Casper—seldom do teams send their tight ends deep.

The best fantasy tight end deep threat is, of course, Antonio Gates.

Opening with Gates is like adding an extra receiver to your team. Even though Gates had a bit of a down year he is a good gamble. Grabbing Gates early is great.

But almost every other owner thinks the same thing.

So the best option, post Gates running deep posts for your team, is to pair your tight end with your quarterback.

Folks like doing this with a key receiver, and that's a great strategy, but doubling down with the tight end and quarterback play strengthens a weak position.

Each scoring pass is a potential double down hit.

The best pair are the Dallas Cowboys Tony Romo and Jason Witten, veteran players on a good team used to each other.

Cleveland Browns Derek Anderson and Kellen Winslow are an up and coming pair. As long as Winslow doesn't revert back to his immature ways and continues to grow as a player and person.

Dallas Clark always seems to snag several key Peyton Manning touchdown passes.  The Colts love to throw, and Manning spreads the pig skin around. Any serious legal issues with Marvin Harrison ups the veteran Clark's value.

Big Ben Roethlisberger developed a rapport with Heath Miller as the season progressed last year. Hines Ward is the primary Pittsburgh possession receiver but Miller grabs some short yardage TD's, and the Steelers QB seeks Miller on crucial first down passes.  

Alge Crumpler was Michael Vicks security man in Atlanta.  Now he travels to Tennessee to see what he can do for the enigmatic Vince Young. Young seems to be having a hard time adjusting to NFL's defenses and he limits the Titan attack. Alge will catch a bunch of short passes, but how much will the Titans be scoring?

Chris Cooley always seems to grab a bunch of balls, but will the change of offense and the development of Jason Campbell hurt his production?

Tony Gonzalez is still a threat but he is aging and on a young team with an unproductive quarterback. Pass on Gonzo and the Chiefs O, but kudos to Gonzo for the recent life save.

Greg Olsen has talent but he is doomed. Being buried on the bad Bears offense is a nightmare for a productive player. But who else will the Bears throw to? Pass on the Bears ability to pass.

Todd Heap, always hurt, has flashes.  But he is on an old team with a young quartback and new coach. No heaps of burning love for Heap. Pass on the always injured Raven.

The Niners seemed destined to fail under the flop Alex Smith. Vernon Davis, immensely physically talented, seems unable, or unwilling, to grasp the offense, and always gets easily frustrated. Not keen on pairing anyone with the sorry Smith.

LJ Smith was the Eagles franchise player and still remains a top target of Donovan McNabb. He's not glamorous, but if you get McNabb why not back him up with LJ? Until one or the other gets injured anyway.

Who knows whats on the mind of Jeremy Shockey? The ex Cane has flashes but has mostly been very average, except in the mouth department. The Giants should jettison him, and if he lands in New Orleans Brees might favor him. But Shockey is always taken too high in fantasy drafts.

Another zero is Randy McMichael, but someone always seems to grab the slow footed dud. Same with Len Pope, Marcus Pollard, and Mercedes Lewis. Just ugh if ya get these guys.

Rookie tight ends seldom have any impact so pass on all of them.

The best option if you miss on the top five or six is just to pair your players. Perhaps your weakest position, TE, paired with his QB, will get lucky and win a game for you when least expected.

On bye weeks when inserting a back up QB try to grab his TE to possible draw a lucky double down.

Go with Gates or go with the double down.

Happy hunting and happy trails 

And check out the Ghost to the Post on the NFL Films.

Maybe some coaches should too.