2012 Fantasy Football TE Tier 1
**Numbers ARE NOT projections. They are 2011 final statistics**
1. Jimmy Graham – 149 Targets, 99 Receptions, 1310 Yards, 11 TD
2. Rob Gronkowski – 124 Targets, 90 Receptions, 1327 Yards, 17 TD
3. Antonio Gates – 88 Targets, 64 Receptions, 778 Yards, 7 TD
4. JerMichael Finley – 92 Targets, 55 Receptions, 767 Yards, 8 TD
5. Vernon Davis – 95 Targets, 67 Receptions, 792 Yards, 6 TD
Neither Graham nor Gronk are likely to match their historic 2011 season. That said if Brees and Brady are healthy this year they should once again be the cream of the crop. Gronk won’t catch 17 touchdowns in Josh McDaniels offense, but he should still be Tom Brady’s safety blanket moving forward. Gates and Finley are steady while you never know what you are going to get from Vernon Davis week to week.
2012 Fantasy Football TE Tier 2
6. Jason Witten – 117 Targets, 79 Receptions, 942 Yards, 5 TD
7. Brandon Pettigrew – 126 Targets, 83 Receptions, 777 Yards, 5 TD
8. Greg Olsen – 89 Targets, 45 Receptions, 540 Yards, 5 TD
9. Aaron Hernandez – 113 Targets, 79 Receptions, 910 Yards, 7 TD
10. Fred Davis – 88 Targets, 59 Receptions, 796 Yards, 3 TD
11. Tony Gonzalez – 116 Targets, 80 Receptions, 875 Yards, 7 TD
Witten is a monster in PPR leagues but isn’t as much of a red zone threat as the guys in Tier 1. Hernandez is likely to see less targets and thus have less production under McDaniels. Tony G had a great year last year, except in the fantasy playoffs when it mattered. Will this be the year age catches up to him?
2012 Fantasy Football TE Tier 3
12. Kyle Rudolph – 39 Targets, 26 Receptions, 249 Yards, 3 TD
13. Jermaine Gresham – 92 Targets, 56 Receptions, 596 Yards, 6 TD
14. Brent Celek – 97 Targets, 62 Receptions, 811 Yards, 5 TD
15. Dustin Keller – 115 Targets, 65 Receptions, 815 Yards, 5 TD
Rudolph and Gresham are my breakout candidates. Gresham was a productive red zone player with rookie Andy Dalton last year. If Dalton improves, Jermaine could end the season in Tier 2.
2012 Fantasy Football TE Tier 4
16. Jacob Tamme – 31 Targets, 19 Receptions, 177 Yards, 1 TD
17. Martellus Bennett – 33 Targets, 17 Receptions, 144 Yards, 0 TD
18. Owen Daniels – 84 Targets, 54 Receptions, 677 Yards, 3 TD
19. Coby Fleener – Did not play in 2011
20. Jared Cook – 81 Targets, 49 Receptions, 759 Yards, 3 TD
Coby Fleener may end up being a monster. He enters his rookie season with a familiar face throwing him the ball. Stanford teammate Andrew Luck. While it may take some time for them to find their NFL rhythm, expect Coby to provide Tier 2 production by season’s end.
