DoubleG,
I am very much in agreement with what you have said above. Personally I feel TE falls in line with the philosophy on WR's ie: you want to pay what it takes to get the elite? What is your take?
TE, at least in the 10 teamer I play in, is a little bit different animal. In many leagues that have a TE required, owners only roster 1 TE (to keep space open for other positions)- occasionally 2. In the 10 teamer I play in we
have to have at least 2 rostered. All that said, in my league and many others, there are often two types of TE on the WW at all times (especially in 10 teamers):1) Young guys with decent upside
2) Vets who can fill in nicely in case of injury
What I think that means is that you should always roster a stud TE if possible (obviosly) - but then his backup should come from group 1 above, as group 2 will always be there. Almost every TE that has turned into a stud or really good TE1 has been on the WW in my 10-teamer that's been in exsistence for 7+ years (Finley, F.Davis, Gronk, VD, A. Hernandez, etc.) - in large part because there are plenty to go around. Second, guys end up hanging on to names over numbers.
Some of the guys I mentioned that were on the WW were out there because people were reluctant to toss away guys like Shockey, Winslow, H. Miller, Shianco, etc. Frankly, that type of production (i.e. decent TE2) is almost always available on the WW in many 10 & 12 team leagues. As I said, in my 10 teamer we roster at least 2. I'd rather have 1 starter (hopefully a stud or close) and 1 young guy with decent upside.
But in my case, TEs almost never get drafted in the rookie drafts - except for in the late rounds (and never by me). There's usually too many good TE choices on the WW to waste a pick. Not necessarily at draft time (that's when everyone cuts the vets that are solid "injury fills") - but a few weeks into the season when the young guys aren't seeing huge production numbers and guys like Winslow, Miller, Sjiancoe, etc. put up consistant numbers - then owners get impatient and start cutting the upside guys for the guys putting up numbers.
Also, I like to scour the WW heading into the playoffs, as many owners (at least in leagues with tight rosters) cut "upside" for injury protection-type players going into the playoffs - especially if they actually have injuries. TE can be a gold mine at that time of the season.
But, I think many of us can always get TE off the WW. The only one I ever traded for was Gates before he blew up 8 years ago (right at the start of the '04 season) - and really that was more of multi-player inolving some RBs as well.
So in summary (
) Don't trade for TEs - just pick them up off the WW. Don't draft them either. There are simply too many available on the WW throughout the season to waste a pick on. DO try to trade them away for late draft picks once they get into that "old, consistant TE2 - but not much cieling" area. I have traded Gates (for Bradshaw) and M. Lewis for a draft pick (and have Finley and F. Davis).