NFL Football - Sleepers and Nightmares

Sleepers and Nightmares - TE Edition

Welcome back for the 2011-12 NFL season, in a year that TE's are deep while other positions are thin. We are here to make sure you do not flop on a position that appears to be 12 deep.  Lets get it started

Sleepers

Jimmy Graham - Remember the name you will probably see him on a bust list next year, only because expectations will be outrageous at years end. Graham averaged 3 catches and a TD over his last 4 games. Brees threw 10 of his 33 TDs last year to TE's. This trend will carry over to his 2011 campaign. Since Nola parted with Blondie (Shockey), all is left is Graham to vulture red zone TD's all year. Graham is a 6' 6" beast, he’s young and Sean Peyton loves him, and when Peyton loves you he rides you till you die. (Right Reggie??!?)

Projection - 61 Rec, 720 Yds. 9 TD's - 7^th Round

Greg Olsen - Olsen waved adios to Mike Martz and his TE's should only block system in Chicago and made his way to Carolina. Cam Newton will be looking for his TE because that's what inexperienced rookie quarterbacks do. Also a little side note Olsen's coordinator in Carolina is Rob Chudzinski, he helped kick start this guy named Gates career, not sure if you've heard of him he's a pretty good player. Olsen had 441 yds. and 5 TDS in a down year, so this could be a low risk high reward type move. Carolina will most likely be trailing most games so the ball will be aired out.

Projection - 47 Rec, 630 Yds., 7 TD's - 9^th Round

Visanthe Shiancoe- Shiancoe finds himself in a good spot this year with Donovan as his quarterback. Last year Shiancoe finished with subpar numbers 47/530/2 not exactly a pro-bowler. Now that was on 80 targets, as oppose to the 127 targets Chris Cooley saw for the most part of the season with Donovan as his QB.  With the loss of Sidney Rice and no true #1 WR expect a lot of action for Shiancoe.

Projection – 65 Rec. 605 Yds. 6 TD’s – 10^TH Round

Jermaine Gresham- No Ocho no Palmer and no TO equals Andy Dalton. Who!!? That’s right another rookie quarterback with no experience. His targets will increase from the 83 he saw last year, expect that number to be around 105 this year, the options in Cincy are minimal. Dalton will need to find a comfort zone with his 6’5” TE. Draft him as a late round sleeper preferably as a back up that can fill in for an injured player or on a bye week.

Projection- 67 Rec. 545 Yds. 5 TD’s- 11^TH Round

Nightmares

Marcedes Lewis- I know many drove the Marcedes to a title last year but it won’t happen again. For 4 years he managed to pay dirt 7 times, this past year he found the end zone 10 times. He set career highs in every category last season, coincidentally it was his contract year. Prepare for those numbers to drop, the Jags already gave him the extension he was looking for.

Projection – 50 Rec. 615 Yds. 6 TD’s – 8^th Round

Tony Gonzalez- Coming off one of his worst statistical years, it seems like his age has finally caught up to him. He is being ranked as high as the 8^th overall TE. With the addition of rookie sensation Julio Jones expect his targets to take a turn for the worst. He’s clearly lost a step so he should also lose a starting roster spot on your team.

Projection- 52 Rec. 525 Yds. 5 TD’s- 10^th Round

Gronkowski / Hernandez - Nothing against the Pat’s tag team but the guessing game will drive you nuts every week. The two combined for 16 TD’s last season (Gronk- 10 Hernandez – 6). With the addition of Ocho and Branch for a full year I can’t see how these guys come close to these numbers again. Brady much like Brees enjoys spreading the ball out. With the newly found running game and Belichiks ability to mix it up every week drafting either of these guys for your starting TE is a crap shoot. Unless one of them goes down to injury I’d stay clear of both.

Projection – Gronk –  40 Rec. 490 Yds. 5 TD’s- 11^th Round

Projection - Hernandez-  32 Rec. 430 Yds. 3 TD’s- 13^th Round

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