Fantasy Football Faceoff: Greg Olsen vs. Tyler Eifert

Here's a look at whether fantasy football owners would be better off selecting Carolina Panthers TE Greg Olsen or Cincinnati Bengals TE Tyler Eifert in 2016 drafts:

2015 stats

The Case for Greg Olsen

Taking into account Rob Gronkowski's perpetual injury concerns, Olsen is arguably the most reliable tight end out there. He has played in all 16 games for eight straight seasons, and has recorded at least 69 catches and 816 yards in each of the last four years in Carolina.

The Panthers led the NFL in points, and Olsen was their biggest receiving threat. He has led or finished tied for the team lead in yards for three seasons now, and his production shouldn't decline much, even with WR Kelvin Benjamin back healthy.

If Olsen has a relative weakness, it's that he has never topped eight TDs in a season. Still, given his total volume of targets, the lack of scores can largely be chalked up to bad luck. The return of the 6-foot-5 Benjamin may help to free up Olsen inside the 20-yard-line, where 13 of his 21 targets were completions, and six went for touchdowns.

Best-Case Scenario: Olsen keeps on ticking, playing all 16 games and topping 1,000 yards again, while also hitting the double-digit mark in touchdowns for the first time.

Worst-Case Scenario: Injuries finally strike Olsen, and he spends a significant chunk of time sidelined. Olsen records his lowest yardage total since 2011, when he caught 45 passes for 540 yards from a rookie Cam Newton.

The Case for Tyler Eifert

Despite missing three games, Eifert scored 13 touchdowns, two more than Gronkowski and six more than Olsen. He came back strong after suffering a season-ending injury in 2014's opening game, and set career highs in every receiving category.

At 25, he's much younger than Olsen and is arguably a better red-zone threat, catching 12 of 16 targets in 2015, with 11 going for scores. That said, there's a gulf between the two in regard to total receiving yards, and that could remain the case in 2016 as Eifert enters the preseason nursing an ankle injury that could sideline him for the start of the season.

Available at a lower draft spot than Olsen, Eifert offers a considerable amount of upside, especially if he can stay on the field and continue to be a red-zone favorite of QB Andy Dalton. Eifert offers the potential for a breakout season, while Olsen can only hope to maintain his status quo.

Best-Case Scenario: Injury-free for all 16 games, Eifert approaches 1,000 yards receiving and again scores 13 or more TDs.

Worst-Case Scenario: Injuries yet again stand in the way of Eifert playing a full campaign, and he falls well short of matching last season's TD total.

Verdict

Olsen is the safer pick, based on his health and years of steady production. Unless touchdowns are all that matter, it's hard to justify choosing the Bengal over the Panther.

There's too much catching up for Eifert to do in terms of receptions and receiving yards to justify drafting him ahead of Olsen. Add in Eifert's perpetual injury woes and a possible regression in terms of TDs, and Olsen is easily the better option.