Dynasty Stock Watch for 2018 – Tight Ends

It is never too early to check out the fantasy football stock market, especially in dynasty leagues.

The tight end position is locked and loaded with more firepower than the Avengers had against Thanos. You have veterans with 1,000-yard years littered all over their football cards and young phenoms with the potential to post fantastic fantasy numbers for the next several seasons.

Here is a look at two tight ends whose stock in dynasty leagues has risen and two tight ends whose stock in dynasty leagues has fallen over the past few weeks.

Dynasty Stock Rising

Jimmy Graham, Green Bay Packers

2017 stats: 57 receptions, 520 yards, 10 touchdowns

To say Graham had a strange 2017 is akin to saying Chef Boyardee likes pasta. Graham led all tight ends in touchdown receptions, including nine over a superb eight-game span, yet he finished with the lowest total of yards since his rookie campaign way back in 2010. The terrific tag team of Father Time and knee injuries have also seemingly sapped his speed as he averaged a career-low 9.1 yards per catch.

While Graham is not getting any younger, his stock may improve over the next couple years nonetheless. Aaron Rodgers has been saddled with sluggish tight ends like Lance Kendricks, Martellus Bennett and Richard Rodgers the past couple years and only clicked consistently with Jared Cook during the 2016 playoffs. Graham had the best years of his career with a man named Drew Brees, so having Rodgers aiming at him will be better for his overall numbers than having Russell Wilson scrambling for his life behind an inept offensive line. Graham should haul in 10-12 touchdown tosses and increase his yardage totals in Green Bay with Danica Patrick’s boyfriend slinging him the rock.

Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers

2017 stats: 45 receptions, 579 yards, four touchdowns

Henry had an uneven sophomore season in 2017. While his receptions and receiving yards went up, his scores were cut in half after hauling in eight touchdown tosses during his rookie campaign. He was also fifth on the Chargers in targets, trailing teammates like Tyrell Williams and Travis Benjamin, when many fantasy forecasters believed he could be second or third in targets on the team.

The good news is Henry will not have future Hall of Famer Antonio Gates taking his targets and vulturing his touchdowns in 2018. The Chargers are reportedly not be bringing back their longtime tight end next season, so the top TE spot is all Henry’s. If Henry can build a chemistry with quarterback Philip Rivers like Gates did over the years, 60 receptions for 750 and nine touchdowns are numbers Henry could post for fantasy owners in 2018 and in future years.

Dynasty Stock Falling

Rob Gronkowski, New England Patriots

2017 stats: 69 receptions, 1,084 yards, eight touchdowns

How could Gronk’s fantasy stock go down after a season where he topped tight ends in receiving yards and stayed relatively healthy (by his low standards)? Tom Brady is returning and has lost no velocity on his fastball, Julian Edelman will be back from his torn ACL to keep defenders from crowding Gronkowski over the middle, and the departure of Brandin Cooks should open up more downfield targets for fantasy football’s favorite tight end.

Fantasy owners should be a little worried, however. Right after New England’s Super Bowl loss all the talk centered around Gronkowski pondering retirement and following the golden path to Hollywood fame and riches. His interest in the entertainment business, coupled with the laundry list of injuries he has suffered during his career, could mean Gronkowski only has a year or two left in football, and that means his stock in dynasty leagues plummets when his future is murkier than the water in a polluted well.

Jack Doyle, Indianapolis Colts

2017 stats: 80 receptions, 690 yards, four touchdowns

 Doyle is coming off a season where he finished second among tight ends in receptions and was a PPR monster on some weeks for fantasy players as he had seven catches or more in six different contests. Doyle will not win any track meets (career 8.5 ypc) and will never challenge the aforementioned Gates’ tight end touchdown record (12 TD in five seasons), but he has made himself a viable fantasy option in recent years due to his increase in targets and receptions.

The problem for Doyle is twofold, though. Franchise quarterback Andrew Luck still has yet to throw a football this year, so even though the Colts are claiming that he will be under center in time for Week 1, Doyle owners have to be weary. On top of that Indianapolis signed former Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron, who will undoubtedly hurt Doyle’s stats and fantasy value more than he will help them. Tampa Bay’s Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard did no fantasy favors for anybody last season when they teamed up in two-TE sets, so the Doyle-Ebron combo could be destined for the same fate in 2018.

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