The Future of Dynasty TE Rankings (1 Viewer)

[Max Power]

I think a lot of threads have beaten around the bush or even talked about this subject, but this thread can serve as a focal point to the subject. Gronk and Graham have changed the TE landscape going forward. In this copy cat league, Athletic TEs are the wave of the future.

So where I'm confused is how owners see the top tier of TEs ranks going forward. Back in the day, a Tony G or Gates were pure gold related to the rest of the league. I feel like the top TE and the TE12 gap is going to close by 2014. Do others feel this way?

The NFL draft this season will offer a premium on athletic pass catching TEs. I would not be shocked to see 4 TEs go in the top 50 picks. So that really brings it all back to how valuable are traditional TEs?

If you're sitting on a Fleener, Rudolph, Eifert, Olsen, how valuable are they vs the end of the first round draft picks?

 

[thriftyrocker]

http://forums.footballguys.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=695484

 

[ConnSKINS26]

I don't feel that way, because there isn't much Gronk/Graham level talent out there to be used to close the gap.

Amaro/Ebron/ASJ are all talented, but they'd have to fall into a Julius Thomas level situation (or close) to approach Gronk/Graham production.

So I think the gap holds, but the field in general will rise a little bit.

Right now you've got Cameron, JThomas, Eifert, Reed as the really desirable young guys. A couple of the rookies mentioned above may join those ranks.

But Gronk/Graham are still on another tier. Cameron could be close if the Browns come out of this draft with an impressive QB prospect. Julius will be close in the short term as long as Manning plays, and maybe in the long term if Osweiler is the real deal and Decker/Welker leave.

 

[FUBAR]

In my main league, the difference between TE1 and TE12 is roughly the same as RB1 and RB12.

The TEs seem to be on the rise because we have a young group right now, but the true elite still stand out. There is MUCH more equality among QBs aside from Peyton. Brees is a little bit ahead of the rest, then there's a group of 13 guys who will give you roughly the same production on average, within 5 points.

The role of the TE is changing slightly, guys like Reed and JT would not have been stars a few years ago until they learned to block.

I will never play in a league (caveat for work type leagues) where only 1 TE can start while 2 or more RBs can start. That's the key change IMO.