Leagues where WR/TE are considered the same. (1 Viewer)

[California]

If this belongs in the AC forum please do give me a slap in the face and I'll try there.

I play in two leagues without dedicated TE requirements in the starting lineup. TE's are considered WR. Because of this, TEs are seriously undervalued. Only 4-5 or so are drafted every year, Gates, Witten, Finley, V.Davis, etc.

TE's seem to be blowing up this year in terms of scoring. I know it's early but I think this is more of a trend instead of a fluke. My receiving corps has been decimated due to injuries and poor performance. My WR corps now basically consists of TEs, Finley, Jimmy Graham, Gronk, Hernandez. Waivers are pretty slim.

Is this a viable strategy for the whole year? It's pretty difficult to trade away TEs for WRs since they're so undervalued. Someone would rather hold a David Nelson type WR3 instead of getting Jimmy Graham.

I'm mainly looking for some insight or strategies from people who play in this types of leagues. I don't want to talk about my specific team too much but I did start Finley, Graham, and Gronk last week out of necessity. Yeah it worked out great but I don't know how viable this would be for a whole year.

 

[LittlePhatty]

This past week was the first time I've ever started two TE's in a matchup (one required, another at flex).

Starting 3 is conceivable if you are loaded up with the right guys, yet came out of the draft with disappointing WR's.

 

[Dr. Octopus]

Basically if you think the TEs that you can potentially start will outperfrom the WRs that you can potentially start, then you start the TEs. I know that's over-simplified but I don't see any other way to answer the question.

I'd rather start Graham, Finley, Gronkowski or Hernandez over David Nelson to work with your examples.

 

[LittlePhatty]

Wait, what did you say?

Sorry, I was staring at your avatar.

 

[Concept Coop]

The answer is clearly yes, if the options are better than the WR options you have. It is clearly no, otherwise.

Jason Witten was the 2nd highest scoring WR/TE in this format last year, behind only Roddy.

 

[Resident A]

My main league uses TE/WR as the same & I have Gronk, V Davis, Hernandez, & O Daniels on my roster. I'm yet to start anyone other than Gronk, but I wouldn't hesitate to start 3 of them any given week if they were my best matchups. I'll surely start at least 2 of them during bye weeks. TEs aside from the top 4 or 5 are usually undervalued in my league & only 5-6 usually get drafted. This year 14 TEs were drafted.

In your case, Gronk is a top-10 WR/TE and Finley is a top-25 WR/TE, you'd have to be stacked at WR to not start both of those guys. I'd consider Graham a solid WR3 in your league. If people in your league are dumb enough to value guys like Wayne/Bowe/Mike Williams more than Finely, then keep Finley & deal them your under-performing WRs.

 

[California]

My main league uses TE/WR as the same & I have Gronk, V Davis, Hernandez, & O Daniels on my roster. I'm yet to start anyone other than Gronk, but I wouldn't hesitate to start 3 of them any given week if they were my best matchups. I'll surely start at least 2 of them during bye weeks. TEs aside from the top 4 or 5 are usually undervalued in my league & only 5-6 usually get drafted. This year 14 TEs were drafted.In your case, Gronk is a top-10 WR/TE and Finley is a top-25 WR/TE, you'd have to be stacked at WR to not start both of those guys. I'd consider Graham a solid WR3 in your league. If people in your league are dumb enough to value guys like Wayne/Bowe/Mike Williams more than Finely, then keep Finley & deal them your under-performing WRs.

Thanks for everyone's feedback. This one resounds with me especially since it sounds a lot like my leagues. TEs just get no respect and it looks like I'll have to find a way to take advantage of it this year. Owners being dumb about TE's definitely apply to my leagues (myself included).

 

[Topes]

Basically if you think the TEs that you can potentially start will outperfrom the WRs that you can potentially start, then you start the TEs. I know that's over-simplified but I don't see any other way to answer the question.

 

[The Rook]

I'm in a league that starts 3 WR/TE and agree that TE's have become more valuable the past couple years, particulary in PPR. There seems to be more and more TE's that are at least WR2 on their team. In our league this year a team drafted Finley and picked Gronkowski up after week 1. It would be very feasible for him to also have Owen Daniels on his team and I think very feasible to start all three if he did.

 

[Jersey35]

You and your avatar are always welcome here.

 

[Hipple Long Ware & Peete]

Basically if you think the TEs that you can potentially start will outperfrom the WRs that you can potentially start, then you start the TEs. I know that's over-simplified but I don't see any other way to answer the question.I'd rather start Graham, Finley, Gronkowski or Hernandez over David Nelson to work with your examples.

 

[The Rook]

This question is intriguing as I look at the customized top 200 going forward. With my league rules, the top 200 forward doesn't even bother with TE's as it says they have little value in the start 3WR/TE format. I would think the top five for sure would have more than $1 value and justify being on the list. Just a friendly suggestion to the FBG crew.

 

[GCP]

The answer, as always, is ... it depends.

 

[California]

This question is intriguing as I look at the customized top 200 going forward. With my league rules, the top 200 forward doesn't even bother with TE's as it says they have little value in the start 3WR/TE format. I would think the top five for sure would have more than $1 value and justify being on the list. Just a friendly suggestion to the FBG crew.

That's an interesting point. I know we're only 3 weeks in but I checked scoring for all RB/WR/TE in my league (non-ppr). In the top 30 there are 4 TE's (Gronk, Keller, Finley, Graham) which was pretty surprising. Gronk is tied for 6th with Calvin Johnson.I don't expect all these TE's to keep this kind of pace all year but this might be viable.

 

[Captain Hook]

Here's an additional vote for the TE you were able to get - All Pro Publishing in their TE rankings each week also notes where that player would be if ranked as a WR

For Week 4 (ppr rankings)

Gronkowski...........TE1........WR10

Finley...............TE2........WR15

Graham...............TE5........WR34

Hernandez was not ranked in the early (Wed) lists because of the injury, but may be by the Friday rankings

 

[loose circuits]

this may be a difficult concept to grasp, but I'd try and start the player that will score the most points

 

[Mello]

Start who you think will score the most points, but if you are starting 3 TEs you probably don't have a great chance of winning the league.

 

[Captain Hook]

Start who you think will score the most points, but if you are starting 3 TEs you probably don't have a great chance of winning the league.

Don't let the facts get in the way of your statementOP has TE in league where TE and WR are combined as RECthrough three weeksGronkowski would be WR2 behind only WelkerFinley would be WR13, behind VJax and ahead of FitzGraham would be WR17, ahead of Brandon Marshall and Roddy Whiteand Hernandez despite only playing in two of the three games would be WR26 ahead of Jordy Nelsohn, Reggie Wayne, and Anquan Boldin.

 

[Mello]

Start who you think will score the most points, but if you are starting 3 TEs you probably don't have a great chance of winning the league.

Don't let the facts get in the way of your statementOP has TE in league where TE and WR are combined as RECthrough three weeksGronkowski would be WR2 behind only WelkerFinley would be WR13, behind VJax and ahead of FitzGraham would be WR17, ahead of Brandon Marshall and Roddy Whiteand Hernandez despite only playing in two of the three games would be WR26 ahead of Jordy Nelsohn, Reggie Wayne, and Anquan Boldin.

Past years, have 3 TEs been in the top 20 among TE/WR for most of the fantasy year? 3 weeks of data is a bit early to be claiming "facts".

 

[California]

this may be a difficult concept to grasp, but I'd try and start the player that will score the most points

I understand your sentiment and the concept. To be honest I felt kind of dumb even starting this thread.The concept I've been having a hard time wrapping my head around is not "start the higher scorer" but "TEs can be just as good or even better than WRs". For my leagues TEs have always been considered second class citizens and they still are to some extent. I picked up Hernandez, Gronk, and Graham off waivers in week TWO. Fred Davis and Scott Chandler are still on waivers while the likes of Brandon Lafell, Donald Jones are being scooped up.I know the above examples are league specific but I've been doing more research on TEs in the past 3 weeks than I did in the past 10 years combined. This is a relatively new trend (at least in my experience, again, I'm pretty dumb on TEs since we didn't require them in lineups) where TEs are now elite receiving options? I don't think this would have been viable 3+ years ago?

 

[Montana's Ghost]

For whatever reason people don't want to acknowledge that the TE as a viable weapon--on par with wideouts--is here to stay.

The strategy is backed up by the numbers--as long as you can field the top guys at the position, which you obviously can.

And unlike what someone above said, I don't see the trend slowing down. Elite TEs are matchup nightmares. Exploiting matchups tend to win football games--see New England 2011 or Jermichael Finley Week 3 2011.

Go forward with your strategy and keep us posted on the results.

 

[California]

I guess a better way to phrase my initial question would have been,

Holy Cow, TE scoring is way up this year. Some TE's look like elite WR1/WR2 options. Is this just a fluke which will go back to past yearly norms as the year goes on, or is this the start of a trend with offenses utilizing more 2 TE sets (Belichick starting it and other coaches to copy eventually) and/or TEs lining up as wideouts?

To sidetrack a bit, in some Hernandez/Gronk threads I've seen here and at other sites people argue about who's #1 and who's #2 when they're actually 1A and 1B (imho). People have said there have never been 2 viable fantasy TE's on one team, ever. Does it mean it won't happen this year?

 

[The Rook]

I guess a better way to phrase my initial question would have been, Holy Cow, TE scoring is way up this year. Some TE's look like elite WR1/WR2 options. Is this just a fluke which will go back to past yearly norms as the year goes on, or is this the start of a trend with offenses utilizing more 2 TE sets (Belichick starting it and other coaches to copy eventually) and/or TEs lining up as wideouts?To sidetrack a bit, in some Hernandez/Gronk threads I've seen here and at other sites people argue about who's #1 and who's #2 when they're actually 1A and 1B (imho). People have said there have never been 2 viable fantasy TE's on one team, ever. Does it mean it won't happen this year?

I think it's a very viable topic. Through 5 weeks, in our 10 team league that has one point per two receptions and three starting WR (TE's are lumped in with them) we have 7 tight ends in the top 30 WR's. Given 30 WR are started in our league each week I'd say that TE's are pretty important at least so far this year.Sidenote (5 of the next 10 are also TE's....31-40..... with bye weeks that makes several more TE's important for the bench)

 

[mrip541]

I have Gronk/Owen Daniels/Finley and have been starting 2 of them every week. Worked pretty well so far. 2nd in overall points.

 

[FUBAR]

I've won starting a kicker as flex, three safeties, and even 3 DEs on occasion. I wouldn't want to use those sets for the long haul, but I've also seen a guy win the league with 3 TEs starting.

 

[ffguru56]

I haven't read this entire thread but here's the scoop with TE position in my league. We are allowed to play a max of 2 TE, not 3. However, with the increase in effective TEs, more teams are playing a 2 TE set when it fits their starting lineup the best.

While the TE position has morphed more into that of a WR, they still are not equivalent. Top WRs will still produce more fantasy points than top TEs (at least in my league) and similarly will have more upside on a weekly basis. What I mean is that it's more likely a WR has a monster day of 100+ yards and multiple scores than a TE.

 

[California]

Just to update my thread, I've gone 3-0 in the three weeks I've started 3 TE's. To be honest tho it had little to do with TE production.

Week 3: Finley, Graham, Gronk blew up for 70 points combined. This gave me some hope that this might be a viable strategy.

Week 4: 26 combined with Graham putting up 22. Hope diminishing somewhat.

Week 5: 24 combined. Hope diminishing greatly.

Graham has been a revelation. Finley and Gronk have been disappointing since Week 3.

Going forward I have Hernandez back but I might go crazy trying to pick 3 out of these 4.

I didn't start the year planning to go all TE. Draft day starting lineup was Miles Austin, Kenny Britt, Percy Harvin. I traded away Austin when Jamaal Charles went down so I'm trying to make do. WRs on waivers are very slim with the likes of Jason Hill, Jabbar Gaffney available.

I'll keep riding the TE train and see how far it takes me this year.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

Start who you think will score the most points

 

[The Rook]

Just to update my thread, I've gone 3-0 in the three weeks I've started 3 TE's. To be honest tho it had little to do with TE production.Week 3: Finley, Graham, Gronk blew up for 70 points combined. This gave me some hope that this might be a viable strategy.Week 4: 26 combined with Graham putting up 22. Hope diminishing somewhat.Week 5: 24 combined. Hope diminishing greatly.Graham has been a revelation. Finley and Gronk have been disappointing since Week 3.Going forward I have Hernandez back but I might go crazy trying to pick 3 out of these 4.I didn't start the year planning to go all TE. Draft day starting lineup was Miles Austin, Kenny Britt, Percy Harvin. I traded away Austin when Jamaal Charles went down so I'm trying to make do. WRs on waivers are very slim with the likes of Jason Hill, Jabbar Gaffney available.I'll keep riding the TE train and see how far it takes me this year.

Graham and Gonzalez are two of my three starting WR... wish I had Gronkowski and I'd gladly start three TE in our league that doesn't require TE. After 10 weeks, 2 of the 5 top WR are TE's....Gronkowski and Graham. Gonzalez is 14.

 

[Hairy Snowman]

I have fielded 4 TEs in a start 4 WR/TE league - Finley, Gronk, Ballard, and Olsen. Worked for me that week, although that was an anomaly based on matchups. But I do start 2 on the regular.

 

[CalBear]

It's unusual for any TE to produce WR1 numbers, but you can get a lot of guys who'll be more reliable as WR2/WR3 producers. If you can get three WR2-level players late in the draft, and get high-quality RBs and QB in exchange, it could work.