The 2020 NFL season is looming right around the corner and fantasy football drafts are back once again. On that note, it is apt to take a look at the tight end position, which is one of the slimmest in fantasy football. The lack of depth in the position makes it more crucial for a drafter to make wise decisions on who to pick up on board.
The players listed were productive in their own right but a stacked offensive rotation could see their numbers take a dip from last season. They should instead be drafted in the right round in order for their fantasy drafters to maximize their value in fantasy football.
Here are the top three overvalued tight ends in fantasy football based on average draft position (ADP).
3. Jared Cook
ADP: No. 97 overall, TE10
After his selection in the 2009 NFL Draft by the Tennessee Titans and spending four seasons with the team, tight end Jared Cook went on to become a journeyman in the league. He had stints with the Seattle Seahawks, Green Bay Packers, and then-Oakland Raiders before landing with the New Orleans Saints last season.
He primarily came off the bench and recorded 705 receiving yards on 43 receptions, and nine touchdowns in 14 appearances. He was able to find his mark on a loaded Saints offense, which will be stacked with more weapons in the upcoming season.
Two-time Pro Bowl wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders was recently acquired along with the selection of former Dayton Flyers tight end Adam Trautman in the 2020 draft. Third-year wideout Tre'Quan Smith will also look to be a bigger threat on the wings for the Saints. Veteran Pro Bowlers in wideout Michael Thomas and running back Alvin Kamara will continue to hold a major chunk of the offense in the upcoming season.
Cook is poised to be a borderline starter in the tight end position rather than a regular contributor who will produce for his drafter on a weekly basis. Given his place on the Saints' offense, fantasy football drafters should be wary not to draft him too high and use their pick on more productive players instead.
2. Darren Waller
ADP: No. 56 overall, TE5
Veteran tight end Darren Waller rose from obscurity and finally made his name known last season. The Georgia Tech product played his first three seasons with the Baltimore Ravens where he played a minor role and tallied nonexistent numbers for the team.
Waller was suspended for violating the substance-abuse policy twice and was suspended for one year without pay on June 30, 2017. He was reinstated by the league on Aug. 7, 2018, after the year-long suspension but was waived by the Ravens on the very next day. On Nov. 26, 2018, Waller landed with the Raiders, where he hoped to revive his career. However, a dismal 2018 season welcomed him where he only appeared in four games as a backup.
After four seasons of getting his feet wet, he finally had a breakout season and tallied impressive numbers for the Raiders. He recorded 1,145 receiving yards on 90 receptions, and three scored touchdowns as a full-fledged starter. He was also named as a Pro Bowl alternate last season but missed out due to thumb surgery.
Things will be more different in the upcoming season as he will be faced with stiffer competition. Sophomore Josh Jacobs will certainly have a bigger role on the offense while rookie wideouts Henry Ruggs III and Bryan Edwards will also look to take a portion of his touches.
Despite his performance last season, he remains to be a risky option for fantasy football drafters. It remains doubtful if he will be able to exceed his numbers from last season given his sudden rise. It will be smart for fantasy football drafters to pass up on Waller in the early rounds and anticipate to snag him once he drops off the board.
1. Rob Gronkowski
ADP: No. 79 overall, TE8
You know that the upcoming season will not be a run-of-the-mill when you see Rob Gronkowski's name being listed on an “overvalued” list. However, that is indeed the situation that Gronk is headed to as he will enter uncharted territories for the first time in his career in the upcoming season.
The 31-year-old veteran last played a full season during his 2018 campaign back with the New England Patriots. He tallied 682 receiving yards on 47 receptions, and three scored touchdowns through 13 appearances. He then had an abrupt retirement prior to the 2019 season but his hiatus didn't last long. He will be joining his former quarterback in Tom Brady and will be making a return on the gridiron in the upcoming season.
Many fantasy football fans are expected to quickly hop on the Gronk bandwagon in the upcoming season. Despite being the bonafide star that he is, let's not forget the fact that he sat out the entire 2019 season. His drafters should expect to see an adjustment period for the former New England Patriot before he gets to put up crazy numbers.
A factor that always gets overlooked is that Gronkowski is heading to another team with whole new offensive schemes. This isn't the Patriots side being coached by Bill Belichick where he has familiarized himself with for many years.
To add, he is also entering a loaded offensive rotation headlined by the Pro Bowl wideout duo of Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. Gronk will also be competing with the best tight end group that he has had in his whole career. Fourth-year tight end O.J. Howard and seven-year veteran Cameron Brate are also expected to vie for bigger roles in the position. The newest Buc in running back Leonard Fournette will certainly be in the mix to take away some possessions of his own.
Gronk's numbers will hugely depend on how efficient the distribution of quarterback Tom Brady will be, given the number of weapons that they have on board. Given the tough competition and the new environment, drafters can opt to pick more productive players instead. They can also wait for him to drop because drafting him too high will only leave his drafters disappointed with this pick.
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