Fantasy Football Picks-My May Top 15 Tight Ends

I picked these 15 as my top fantasy football picks for Tight Ends back in May so you need to review them for changes in health, team and if they are in jail or not. Just kidding.

Be sure to keep on top of any changes I make by signing up for my free fantasy football pick updates.  I tweet them too.

1.    Dallas Clark/Colts- Clark is just simply too big for most defensive backs to cover and too fast for most linebackers. Clark takes some vicious hits and still hangs on to the ball, and with Peyton Manning under center Clark has become the most dangerous TE in the NFL.
2.    Antonio Gates/Chargers- With QB Philip Rivers still intact, there’s no reason to believe that Gates won’t again be a valuable receiving target for the Chargers. A key here will be the re-signing of WR Vincent Jackson, as without him teams will be able to concentrate on covering Gates.
3.    Tony Gonzalez/Falcons- Though Gonzalez did not have one of his typical seasons in 2009, he was nonetheless still one of the top TE’s in football. With another year of playing experience with QB Matt Ryan, Gonzalez should once again be considered one of the top choices at TE this year.
4.    Vernon Davis/49ers- Davis really exploded last season under Mike Singletary, and this season should render similar results. Davis is their number one receiving threat and presents matchup problems for many opponents.  Whether it’s Alex Smith or David Carr at QB, Davis should be a valuable fantasy starter.
5.    Jason Witten/Cowboys- No matter what number you think Witten should be ranked at, if you end up drafting him you won’t be disappointed. Witten has been the most reliable target the Cowboys have had over the past five or six seasons, but needs to improve in his TD totals if he wants to move up.
6.    Brent Celek/Eagles- I think I once wrote in a preseason preview somewhere that Brent Celek would have no chance of making the Eagles nor any other NFL team. That just reinforces one of my main points that no one can be right 100 percent of the time. Celek has developed into one of the better TE’s in the NFL, and may just keep getting better.
7.    Kellen Winslow/Bucs- With still no real threat at the WR position, Winslow should again be the focal point of the Bucs passing offense. The thing to consider about Winslow is his durability, as getting through a full 16 game season has not been easy.
8.    Visanthe Schiancoe/Vikings- I always liked Schiancoe when he was with the Giants, and it looks like Brett Favre would agree that he should have gotten a chance to start there. If the ball is around him, Schiancoe will come up with it, and he can make some big catches downfield as well. Schiancoe is an under-rated talent who could be a valuable addition to your fantasy football picks.
9.    Greg Olsen/Bears- Olsen has proven to be a valid threat for opposing defenses. He has great hands and a feel for the seam with speed to go along with it. Olsen should again be considered a valuable late round addition to your fantasy squad.
10.    Jermichael Finley/Packers- One of the new breed of TE’s that combines speed and power. Finley should only continue to flourish the more he and Rodgers play together and they can take further advantage of the matchup problems that Finley presents.
11.    Zach Miller/Raiders- With Jason Campbell now at QB his numbers could go down a little as the WR’s will likely be more involved. Miller is still at this point their best receiving option, however, and can be a steal as a late round pick.
12.    Kevin Boss/Giants- The Giants have a legacy of having good TE’s, and Boss is nothing if not productive. He scores enough to make him a decent fantasy choice should all the other top TE’s be gone.
13.    John Carlson/Seahawks- Carlson may be inconsistent, but when he does have a good game he puts up some excellent numbers. If all other options are gone, Carlson could be the best choice.
14.    Marcedes Lewis/Jaguars- Lewis keeps getting better, and should continue to improve in 2010. If the offensive line can stay healthy Lewis should be able to get into receiving routes more often, making him a valuable target on a time with little receiving talent.
15.    Heath Miller/Steelers- Miller may be rated higher if not for Roethlisberger being suspended for 6 games. Miller is dangerous inside the red zone and provides an excellent 3rd down target as well.

If you like Fred Davis,Dustin Keller or Todd Heap, feel free to plug them in at the bottom of your own fantasy football pick list. Remember, having a good TE is not as important as having great RB’s and WR’s and a QB.

If Dallas Clark happens to be the best pick available, then you can’t complain about having the number one TE. If you miss out on him, however, don’t panic and take someone too high, as all of the top 10 will likely put up similar numbers, and the ones after that won’t be too far behind. Having a top TE is not a bad thing, just make sure it makes sense over who you can choose from the other positions that you need for your roster.

Don’t forget to checkout my tips for building a fantasy football cheatsheet for your own draft day.

More scintillating discussion about how to throw a fantasy football draft party. All this time I thought it was just about beer, bombast and beer.