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Tight Ends (8)
Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe.
Modern Positional Average
Written by Site Admin
Tight Ends: Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe.
Please note that there are only two Tight Ends who have been inducted in the last fifteen seasons and we will base the average only on these two players.
*Note that this is the same as last year, as no modern era Tight Ends were inducted in 2020.
Approximate Value 126.5
AV/G 0.5338
Pro Bowls 11
First Team All-Pros 5
Receiving Yards 12593.5
Receiving Touchdowns 86.5
Receptions 1025
#6 Overall, Rob Gronkowski: Tampa Bay Buccaneers, #1 Tight End
How do you go from being not ranked to the top ten? You come out of retirement! Gronkowski joins his former Quarterback, Tom Brady, in Tampa Bay to chase history, and in the last 12 months (without playing), he was named to the NFL 100th Anniversary Team, thus assuring a probable first ballot selection. While his accumulative yardage is well below the MPA, his AV/G destroys the MPA. Football is a lot more fun now that Gronk is back!
Games 115 (-122)
Approximate Value 82 (-44.5)
AV/G 0.7130 (+0.1792)
Pro Bowls 5 (-6)
First Team All-Pros 4 (-1)
Receiving Yards 7861 (-4732.5)
Receiving Touchdowns 79 (-7.5)
Receptions 521 (-504)
#9 Overall, Jason Witten: Las Vegas Raiders, #2 Tight End
A year after his comeback, Witten now begins his run as a Las Vegas Raider. While the odds of him getting a 12th Pro Bowl are slim, he is three Yards away from 13,000. 11 Pro Bowls and 13,000 Yards makes a Hall of Fame Tight End.
Games 255 (+18)
Approximate Value 118 (-8.5)
AV/G 0.4627 (-0.0711)
Receiving Yards 12997 (+403.5)
Receiving Touchdowns 72 (-14.5)
Receptions 1152 (+127)
#37 Overall, Travis Kelce: Kansas City Chiefs, #3 Tight End
Kelce winning the All-Decade spot over Jimmy Graham cements him as at least the second-best Tight End of the 2010s behind Rob Gronkowski. Tight Ends are a lot more productive in offense, so Kelce has to keep putting up elite numbers but he has the offense around to do it. While his AV/G is very strong for a TE, but his touchdown production is low.
Games 96 (-141)
#46 Overall, Jimmy Graham: Chicago Bears, #4 Tight End
There was a time when Jimmy Graham appeared to be Hall of Fame bound, and he was at one time the best Tight End in the NFL. That seems a long time ago, even though his last Pro Bowl was 2017. Still, his AV/G is annually plummeting and the gold jacket is disappearing from sight.
Games 153 (-84)
#93 Overall, George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers, #5 Tight End
George Kittle is over the AV/G for Tight Ends, but three years does not a Hall of Fame career make. A First Team All-Pro last year, Kittle is considered by many to be the top Tight End in the NFL, and if he can hold on to that (or stay in the top two) for a few more years he could be a future Hall of Famer.
Approximate Value 25 (-101.5)
#106 Overall, Zach Ertz, Philadelphia Eagles, #6 Tight End
A three-time Pro Bowler, Zach Ertz is well below the AV/G, but he is in his prime, and is a great position to grow it, while compiling Pro Bowls and Yards.
#113 Overall, Greg Olsen: Carolina Panthers, #7 Tight End
Olsen is still chugging along, and his Hall of Fame candidacy rests on his popularity and reputation. 8,444 Yards is a lot for a Tight End, but not enough anymore.