Fantasy Tight End Draft Tips and Advice
by Brandon M. of RotoPicks.com
The Tight End is the most lopsided position in fantasy. During almost every season, there with be two of three elite TE guys who post No. 1 WR statlines and then there's a severe dropoff after the big guns. For this reason picking TE's can be infuriating. Do you spend big on a premiere TE? Or do you roll the dice on a more affordable option?
Basic Tight End Advice
Take TEs Who Play a Key Role in Their Team's Passing Offense
Nothing is more critical to finding a good fantasy TE. You don't get points for run blocks, so make sure you're taking a guy who's a factor in the passing game. Also note that unlike other positions, Tight Ends rarely benefit from generous matchups. Just because a TE faces the team that allows the most fantasy points to TEs doesn't mean you can expect that TE to explode. A blocking TE won't do anything fantasy-wise, regardless of what defense he faces.
Normally there are only a few TEs who are receiving threats, so pay attention to those. Also pay attention to quarterbacks who have frequently targeted TEs throughout their careers. For instance, Peyton Manning and Drew Brees helped several TEs post big fantasy seasons.
Pay Attention to a TE's Supporting Cast of Receivers, Especially Other TEs
If a TE has to compete for targets with quality WRs, that can limit his upside (although it can also free him up in certain instances). But what really kills a good passcatching TE is a counterpart. TEs are targeted less often than WRs, and if two TEs are competing for catches, you're basically flipping a coin. Obviously, every TE will have WRs to compete with, but make sure your TE is the only show in town at his position.
Value Targets, Catches, and Yardage Over TDs
If there's a TE available who's had three straight weeks with a TD, you have take him, right? It's tempting, but check what happens to his stats when he doesn't catch a score. If you're not careful, you might start a "TD guy" who gets two catches for 17 yards when he doesn't score-a dreadful fantasy day for any position, even TE. To prevent this from happening, look for guys who consistently garner targets, catches and yardage. Aim for sure-fire yardage and think of TDs as a bonus.
Salary Cap Strategy: Spend big or spend minimal. As mentioned, there are usually only a few elite TEs in the league. There's a massive dropoff beyond that top bunch and the rest of the pack, whether they be the mid-carders or cheapo TEs which usually post weak numbers. So if you're not breaking the bank on a TE, try to find a sleeper among the cheap guys. Don't risk mid-level money on TEs; more often than not mid-carders post the same numbers as the guys in the bargain bin.
Snake Draft Strategy: Pick one as early or late as possible. Similar to the Salary Strategy, you'll either want to grab a superstar TE early (say round 3-5) or wait until you've loaded the rest of your starting lineup. Don't waste a mid-round pick on a "decent" TE when there are still quality WRs on the board. Especially if your opponents have already filled their TE roster spot.
A sneaky strategy in Snake leagues is to draft the two best TEs early and put one in your TE slot and the other in a FLEX slot (or bench). Not only do you nab two solid players, but you leave your opponents scrambling for weaker guys to fill their TE slot. Just make sure you have some sleeper QBs/RBs/WRs in mind before you employ this tactic.
Also, be wary of "TE Rushes," which occur when one owner snags a TE and suddenly everyone else in the draft room follows suit. Don't get caught mindlessly taking the next-best-TE-available. Let the TE rush run its course, and nab a quality QB/RB/WR while your opponents fight over mid-level TEs.
Pick 'em Advice: Consider elite TEs, ignore everyone else. TEs don't appear often in Pick'em leagues. When they do, it's usually the elites (in the middle tiers) and the mid-carders (in the lower tiers). The elite TEs are usually worth a pick, especially if they get TDs in addition to heavy yardage. But don't even touch the mid-carders. Usually mid-carders will appear on the Pick 'em board after they've have a big performance-a performance they're unlikely to repeat. Always look for a high-upside WR or an underrated QB in those low tiers.
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