2017 Top 10 NFL Tight Ends

1. Rob Gronkowski

Stats

Receptions: 25, Yards: 540, TDs: 3, YPR: 21.6, Catch%: 65.8

Rob Gronkowski is so good and so much better than every other tight end in the NFL that even with durability issues he still comes in at number one on the list. He excels as both a receiver and blocker which is rare in the NFL these days. As a receiver despite being one of the biggest tight ends in the league he is also one of the most athletic. He was on pace to have a special season before being loss to injury. Though the sample size was small his average of over 21 yards per reception was absolutely insane. Even elite deep threats like TY Hilton and Desean Jackson did not average that many yards per catch. He is one of the few tight ends in the game that can be considered a deep threat as he gets down the field in a hurry.  He lacks elite quickness so he does not have the separation skills as guys like Greg Olsen and Jordan Reed but his straight line speed is near the top of the league at his position and when given time to build up steam he really puts pressure on the defense down the seams. Once Gronk gets moving whether he is open or not all the QB has to do is throw it up and Gronk is most likely to come down with it as he is the best in the league at making contested catches and winning 50/50 balls. There are not even any receivers that I trust more than this guy to just throw it up to and expect them to come down with it. He is also a very good blocker both inline and on the move. There have been plenty of big tight ends that did not block well but for this guy it is a mentality. You can tell he takes pride in it and makes a real effort to do it. His complete game makes him the best tight end in football and in my opinion when he is healthy he is the best offensive football player in the entire league.

2. Travis Kelce

Stats

Receptions: 85, Yards: 1125, TDs: 4, YPR: 13.2, Catch%: 72.6

Travis Kelce was the best tight end in the NFL in 2016. He lead all tight ends in receiving yards and was second at the position in receptions. Kelce had played at a high level in two seasons prior but he took it to another level in 2016 and turned himself into an elite player. Kelce like a lot of the tight ends on this list is tough for defenses to matchup with as he is too athletic for most linebackers to handle and he is a good route runner. But what separates him from most on this list is his ability to do damage after the catch. Kelce lead not only all tight ends but all receivers as well in yards after catch. Only Le’Veon Bell and David Johnson, two running backs, had more yards after catch than this guy. That is phenomenal for a tight end. Not only is Kelce an elite reciving threat but he blocks as well. He was one of the best run blocking tight ends in the NFL in 2016 and though formidable blocking at the line of scrimmage he really stood out as a terrific blocker on the move.

3. Jimmy Graham

Stats

Receptions: 65, Yards: 923, TDs: 6, YPR: 14.2, Catch%: 68.4

Jimmy Graham has been an elite tight end practically his entire career and after a subpar first season with a new team in 2015 Graham finally had the impact that Seattle had hoped for in 2016 when they acquired him. He was a big time receiving threat as always. There is no doubt that he has lost some of the athleticism that made him all-time great in New Orleans. His 80+ reception days are most likely behind him but he still runs routes very well and at 6’7 260 he is still a huge target that can get himself open. What has helped Graham the most as he enters his 30s is his new found run blocking ability. Graham never blocked in New Orleans but in 2016 he was among the top tight ends in the NFL in run blocking.

4. Greg Olsen

Stats

Receptions: 80, Yards: 1073, TDs: 3, YPR: 13.4, Catch%: 62.0

Greg Olsen is not just one of the best receiving tight ends in the NFL today he is one of the best I have ever seen period. He is without question the best route runner at the position. He easily creates separation from linebackers and safeties with his combination of quickness, fluidity and savvyness. He can work the field at all three levels and he can line up inline or as a receiver. The only flaw in his game is that he is a below average run blocker.

5. Delanie Walker

Stats

Receptions: 65, Yards: 800, TDs: 7, YPR: 12.3, Catch%: 63.7

Delanie Walker is one of the best all-around players at the position. He does not posses great athleticism, lacks ideal height or length at only 6’1 and is on the wrong side of 30. Yet for the past three years he has been one of the most consistent players at the position. Walker is one of the hardest working players in the league that simply goes out and grinds week in and week out. Even though he is shorter than most tight ends he moves well and has developed into one of the better route runners at the position. He has reliable hands and is a thick strong man that is highly reliable catching the ball in traffic. He is also one of the best blocking tight ends in the game and the fact that at his size he can block inline and deal with bigger longer edge players is a testament to his work ethic.

6. Tyler Eifert

Stats

Receptions: 29, Yards: 394, TDs: 5, YPR: 13.6, Catch%: 61.7

When it comes to on field performance one could make the case that Eifert is the third best tight end in the NFL. On top of being an elite pass catcher he had the highest run blocking grade among all starting tight ends on pro football focus. At 6’6, 250 he has great size and he is a fluid athlete. But despite all of his great ability Eifert just cannot stay healthy. Over the past three seasons he has only started 15 games and has gotten hurt in all three seasons. As talented as he is availability matters and he simply has not been as often as he needs to be.

7. Jordan Reed

Stats

Receptions: 66, Yards: 686, TDs: 6, YPR: 10.4, Catch%: 74.2

Reed is an absolute matchup nightmare at the tight end position. He is one of the most athletic tight ends in the league and he runs routes like a receiver which just makes linebackers and safeties look completely inferior when attempting to cover him one on one. He has soft hands and terrific ball skills. There is a no doubt that in regards to talent Reed is a top five tight end. He is such a special talent as a pass catcher that it makes up for the fact he is a mediocre run blocker. But what really hurt Reed is that he is always injured. He has yet to start 10 games in a season so far in his four year career and has missed games due to injury every year so far.

8.  Martellus Bennett

Stats

Receptions: 55, Yards: 701, TDs: 7, YPR: 12.7, Catch%: 75.3

Bennett had another fine season in 2016 in his first and only season as a Patriot. He started the year as the number two tight end behind Rob Gronkowski but once Gronk went down he filled in as the number one guy admirably and the Patriots offense did not miss a beat. He led the Patriots in receiving touchdowns and was a valuable security blanket for the games greatest QB the majority of the year. At 6’7 he is a huge target and major redzone threat. He is also very physical with big hands and long arms which is why he excels at catching the ball in a crowd. He lacks elite athleticism and does not separate at the level of the elite tight ends but he finds a way to get the job done. Bennett can be a decent run blocker when he puts his mind to it but the effort was inconsistent last year and the results were mixed because of it.

9. Kyle Rudolph

Stats

Receptions: 83, Yards: 840, TDs: 7, YPR: 10.1, Catch%: 62.9

Kyle Rudolph has been oozing with potential since his 2nd season back in 2012 when he had nine touchdowns. However, due to a combination of injuries, inconsistent QB play and inconsistent play on his own part Rudolph just never quite put together the season many believed he was capable of until this year. 2016 was easily the best year of his career as he finally was more than a redzone threat.  Rudolph finished third in the NFL in receptions and was a go to target for Sam Bradford and was a big reason why Bradford was able to set the single season completion percentage record as he was a very reliable target for Bradford. Rudolph was targeted significantly more than in the past this season in large part because he was simply open more this year than in year’s past. As productive as he was catching the football he was a disaster run blocking as was the Vikings as a team.

10. Jason Witten

Stats

Receptions: 69, Yards: 673, TDs: 3, YPR: 9.8, Catch%: 72.6

It is quite clear to everyone at this point Witten is on his last legs and clearly on the decline. However, that is not because he is not productive anymore it is just because he is not playing like the best tight end in the league or something close to it anymore. Even at 34 last season Witten proved to be more valuable than the majority of players at his position. Despite being dreadfully slow at this point in his career he still is one of the best at working the middle of the field and just being a security blanket on third down. He has one of the highest football IQs in the NFL and uses that to get open more so than athletic ability. And these days he really is not open as much as he used to be. However, Witten is the best in the game at making contested catches on the ground. Meaning he may not be an elite go up and high point 50/50 balls guy but just running with a man on his hip and bringing the ball in within tight windows he still does better than most. As a blocker he regressed a tad in 2016 but he still remains one of the better run blocking tight ends in the league who has a good understanding of angles and leverage and simply is able to out maneuver bigger superior athletes at times.