Tight ends have seen their role increase over the past few years and are now just as vlauable as wide receivers. Last season, Jimmy Graham and Rob Gronkowski had the two best seasons ever for tight ends and neither was highly drafted. While it would be foolish to expect to strike gold like that again this season, here are a few tight that have impressed this preseason and who’s fantasy football arrow is pointing up.
Aaron Hernandez
Playing second-fiddle to Rob Gronkowski has lowered Hernandez’s profile, but it hasn’t stopped him from putting up big numbers. Hernandez has continued that play this preseason looking sharp against the Buccaneers in the Patriots dress-rehearsal catching 5 balls for 52 yards. According to Patriots beat writer Greg A. Bedard, “Hernandez has ascended to Brady’s No. 1 option, with Wes Welker next, and then Rob Gronkowski depending on matchups.” While I’m not sure I necessarily agree with that, it’s great news for his fantasy football stock and he’s still going relatively late in drafts.
Kyle Rudolph
I’ve been singing Rudolph’s praises for awhile and his preseason play has only made me a bigger fan. While his stats aren’t overwhelming (6 catches, 65 yards), he has been very efficient catching six of his seven targets. From all the offseason praise to his solid preseason form and no other receiver stepping up in Minnesota, Rudolph is shaping up a great pick late in fantasy football drafts.
Greg Olsen
Similar to Rudolph, Olsen hasn’t put up gaudy stats in the preseason, but no tight end has really lit up the stat sheet. Olsen has been solid reeling in 5 catches for 52 yards in two games of action. Without Jeremy Shockey in town to steal targets, Olsen makes for a nice TE2 option with TE1 upside.
Previously: The Most Impressive QBs | The Most Impressive RBs | The Most Impressive WRs
