-2018 NFL Schedule -Strength of Schedule
MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2018 Draft Kit
There's not much left to say about Walker other than this: The guy simply gets the job done. One of the league's most underrated players of the past decade, Walker has translated his skills to three consecutive top-five fantasy campaigns and five straight top-12s. Walker has appeared in at least 15 games each of the past seven years and has finished no lower than ninth at tight end in targets, receptions and receiving yards the past four seasons. Tennessee changed offenses during the offseason, but Walker remains one of their best and most reliable targets. The 33-year-old is a fringe top-five fantasy tight end.
Kelce has finished each of past two seasons as fantasy's top-scoring tight end and has finished no worse than eighth in his four full seasons. He paced the position in pass routes (513), targets (121) and receptions (83) last season while setting a career high with eight touchdowns. Kelce had never scored more than five times in a season prior to 2017, and ge could be in for a dip this season. Kelce will also have a new quarterback in Patrick Mahomes, and while that could impact his efficiency, the tight end will still see a ton of volume and is one of the game's most talented players at the position. Even if 2018 appears less promising than 2017, he's right there with Rob Gronkowski and Zach Ertz as elite fantasy options at the position.
Ertz has been a productive tight end since he entered the league back in 2013, but a lack of touchdowns limited his fantasy contributions. That changed when Ertz found pay dirt a career-high eight times in 14 regular-season games last season. He has now eclipsed 800 receiving yards in three straight seasons and has improved his fantasy point total in each year of his career. Ertz has finished in the top five at the position in targets, receptions, receiving yards and end zone targets each of the past two seasons. Durability is a slight concern (at least one missed game each of the past three seasons), but Ertz is so good when active that he's undoubtedly a top-three fantasy tight end.
Gronkowski contemplated retirement during the off-season but will be back for at least one more season in 2018. Gronk missed a pair of games but posted a dominant 69-1,084-8 line and led all tight ends in receiving yards and fantasy points per game (16.2). He has missed 27 percent (26 of 96) of New England's regular-season games the past six seasons, including at least one each season. Despite all the missed action, Gronkowski sits second among tight ends in fantasy points (Jimmy Graham is first) and has posted four top-five seasons during the span. Gronkowski's shaky durability hurts his fantasy value, but his per-game dominance makes him well worth a third-round investment.