Last year tight ends were a huge part of successful offenses. Having a solid tight end may give you the edge this season. Here is a guide ranking the top tight ends in the NFL for 2007.
Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers
He's big, athletic, strong and fast. He is the premier big play target right now at this position and he led all tight ends in total yards, touchdowns and receptions of over 20+ yards. With quarterback Phillip Rivers another year matured, look for Gates to have another huge year.
His stats include:
924 Receiving Yards
9 Touchdowns
Tony Gonzales, Kansas City Chiefs
Gonzales was still the main target in the passing game and he had another big year last season. He plays big, he's hard to take down and commands double teams from opposing defenses.
His stats include:
900 Receiving Yards
5 Touchdowns
Todd Heap, Baltimore Ravens
Heap is one of the most consistent and reliable tight ends in the NFL. Although he is not known for making big plays, you should look at him because he just simply makes them week in and week out.
His stats include:
765 Receiving Yards
6 Touchdowns
Kellen Winslow, Cleveland Browns
He led all tight ends in receptions last season and played his first full year without any big injuries. If he stays healthy and Cleveland develops a reliable passing attack, Winslow could end up being the best on the list. Of all the tight ends, he is the most naturally talented.
His stats include:
875 Receiving Yards
3 Touchdowns
Jeremy Shockey, New York Giants
Shockey is one of the hardest players to tackle in this group and has an explosive burst behind him. If Giants QB Eli Manning can get his act together and consistently throw the ball with accuracy, look for Shockey to have a huge year. But beware that he has had durability issues.
Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers
Davis has unlimited potential at this position and has the skill set to dominate. The bad part is that he suffered a serious injury last season and may not be reliable this year. But if he is healthy, look for big numbers because this tight end has a bright future ahead.
His stats include:
265 Receiving Yards
3 Touchdowns
Alge Crumpler, Atlanta Falcons
Not only does he have one of the coolest last names in the NFL, but he is a play maker who averaged 13.9 yards per catch last season and was second in touchdowns. He would have been higher on this list, but we do not have any idea how good or bad this Falcons offense will be this season and that could affect his productivity.
His stats include:
780 Receiving Yards
8 Touchdowns
Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys
Witten had another strong year as far as receiving yards go, but only scored one touchdown all year. This season should be about the same as far as yards, but it is hard to believe that he will be held out of the end zone again this season.
His stats include:
754 Receiving Yards
1 Touchdown
Benjamin Watson, New England Patriots
Watson was a key target for quarterback Tom Brady last season, so look for him to improve even more in 2007. His 13.1 yards per catch tells us that he is a legitimate threat on offense and he should score more this year.
His stats include:
643 Receiving Yards
3 Touchdowns
Chris Cooley, Washington Redskins
Cooley had a huge year, especially towards the end of the season. He became one of the go to guys in the end zone, establishing himself as a top possession receiver as well. He plays fullback in some situations as well.
His stats include:
734 Receiving Yards
6 Touchdowns
The Best of the Rest
L.J. Smith, Philadelphia Eagles
L.J. is versatile and at times explosive. If Donovan McNabb can stay healthy, L.J. is one of his favorite targets so look for him to have a productive career.
His stats include:
611 Receiving Yards
6 Touchdowns
Dallas Clark, Indianapolis Colts
Clark also plays fullback at times, and although he is not the main option on offense, he always seems to come up big during two minute drills. Also, Clark played in only 12 games last year so look for his overall numbers to be better if he stays healthy.
His stats include:
367 Receiving Yards
4 Touchdowns
Heath Miller, Pittsburgh Steelers
Miller had a great rookie year, but his numbers were not as high as expected last season. Now that Ben Roethlisberger is healthy again, Miller should enjoy more success this year.
His stats include:
393 Receiving Yards
5 Touchdowns
Desmond Clark, Chicago Bears
Clark was a down the field and possession threat last season. When Rex Grossman was having a good game, Clark was having one too. Look for Clark to be an important part of the Bears offense again in 2007.
His stats include:
626 Receiving Yards
6 Touchdowns
Owen Daniels, Houston Texans
Daniels had a productive season in 2006 and although his overall yards were not extraordinary, he only played in 14 games and still scored 5 times. He looks to be a reliable target heading into the 2007 season so keep him on your radar.
One for the Future:
Greg Olsen, Chicago Bears
He was the #1 tight end taken in the draft out of Miami (FL) and shows good upside. Of course he will be competing for playing time with starter Desmond Clark, look for Olsen to eventually take over the starting spot and become a star on his team.
