Fantasy Football

2015 Fantasy Football: Ranking the Rookie Tight Ends

In this article we will be ranking the top five fantasy tight ends in re-draft PPR leagues. Of course this is pre-draft so things could dramatically change after we find out where these TEs land in the 2015 NFL Draft. For now, this is how I’m ranking them.

1. Clive Walford, Miami
Walford is by far the most NFL ready TE in this draft. He has a high football IQ and does everything well. He has a big strong body and knows how to get position. His hands are extremely reliable and he has a knack for making big catches. He’s also a very tough blocker which will help keep him on the field as a rookie. His blocking, excellent route running and great hands make him the TE most likely to have a year one fantasy impact. With Heath Miller aging in Pittsburgh, Walford could be a perfect fit.

Best Fit: Pittsburgh

2. Maxx Williams, Minnesota
Williams has the most upside of any tight end in this draft. However, there are a few concerning red flags. He doesn’t accelerate great and takes a few steps to get going off the line. He also needs to polish his route running. Williams also is not much of a blocker. These are all things that he can work on and easily fix. It may just take a season before he’s closer to his full potential. He’s still No. 2 on this list because his talent level and athleticism will likely mask many of his flaws.

Best Fit: Baltimore Ravens

3. Nick O’Leary, Florida State
Say what you will about O’Leary’s combine performance. He’s a big-time player who has made extraordinary catches in massive moments. On film he makes big catch after big catch for Florida State. He has great hands and is a very reliable target on third downs and in the red zone. He’s a tough old school kind of kid. His awareness and instincts are elite and he knows how to create a big target. He does lack some explosiveness but makes up for it with intangibles.

Best Fit: Arizona Cardinals

4. Nick Boyle, Delaware
Boyle has ideal NFL size at 6-foot-4, 268 pounds. He also has long arms and a solid frame. Last season, he really worked hard to improve as a blocker. It really shows on film. He’s a team captain, a quality character guy with all the intangibles. He’s ultra-competitive and never seems to slow down. His coaches rave about his leadership and locker room presence. He also has excellent hands as he leaves Delaware as their all-time reception leader at tight end and second in touchdowns. The knock on him is lack of top competition. Nonetheless, we’ve seen plenty of players come from small schools and be very successful on the next level.

Best Fit: New York Giants

5. C.J. Uzomah, Auburn
Uzomah has an NFL frame and is exceptionally versatile, although, he didn’t get many chances to show it in Auburn’s run heavy attack. He has shown off his soft hands and outstanding body control as a pass-catcher. The Senior Bowl was a great opportunity for him to sway scouts. He’s is also listed as a tight end, H-back and slot receiver. He could cause a plethora of matchup problems on the next level. We have seen guys like Charles Clay develop into legitimate NFL tight ends. Uzomah could fall in to a similar classification. He could even be a nice fit for Miami to replace Clay since they missed out on him in free agency.

Best Fit: Miami Dolphins

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