Fantasy: TE sleepers to target late in your draft

Fantasy Sleepers
QB | RB | WR | TE

Tight end is fascinating position in fantasy football this year. For the first time ever, there's nearly universal agreement that a tight end - Jimmy Graham - is worthy of a first-round pick. Then there's the ongoing saga that is Rob Gronkowski and his quest to return from an ACL tear in time for Week 1. If Gronkowski stays healthy all season, he could be a huge bargain even in the third round.

The tremendous depth at tight end might trump Graham and Gronk as the most interesting aspect of the position this year, however. In a true rarity, there may actually be more draft-worthy tight ends than are likely to be drafted in most 12-team fantasy leagues. What was once a position of scarce value is no longer so.

What's especially exciting is that some of the more intriguing tight ends this year remain under the fantasy radar. These players all share a few key traits. They're young. They're athletic. They're basically wide receivers in bigger bodies. And every one of them has a chance to break out and vastly exceed his ADP.

(Note: all average draft position (ADP) data in this article is courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.com and based on 12-team leagues with standard scoring.)

Priority Sleeper

Kyle Rudolph, Vikings

ADP: 9th round

Everything is set up perfectly for Kyle Rudolph to become an impact player. He's only 24 years old and just entering his physical prime, yet the former second-round draft pick already has three years of pro experience. The Vikings believe his best years are ahead of him, and they demonstrated it by giving him a big contract extension this offseason.

Rudolph also has the benefit of playing in an offense that features an all-world running back in Adrian Peterson and a likely breakout wide receiver in Cordarrelle Patterson, meaning defenses won't be able to key on Rudolph. The quarterback situation is ideal, too; whether Matt Cassel or rookie Teddy Bridgewater is behind center, the Vikings' passer will likely look to check the ball down to a big target like Rudolph with regularity. 

Rudolph is going off the board as the 10th tight end in standard leagues. He represents tremendous potential value for owners who prefer to use their early picks to load up on receivers and running back depth.

Deep Sleepers

Zach Ertz, Eagles

ADP: 10th round

A second-round pick in 2013, Zach Ertz flashed elite skills in limited targets as a rookie. If he was on another team, his 10th-round ADP might be three rounds higher. But, alas, he's on the loaded Philadelphia Eagles and may be fifth in line for receiving targets behind LeSean McCoy, Darren Sproles, Jeremy Maclin, and Riley Cooper. 

There are reasons to be optimistic Ertz will outperform his ADP despite the loaded Eagles roster, however. Perhaps most notable is that he's the only big-bodied player with special athletic abilities among the players listed above (sorry, Cooper, but you're just another guy). These unique skills should make Ertz a preferred option for the Eagles in the red zone. 

Also of note is the possibility that Chip Kelly's offense will be so prolific (and run so many plays) that it could conceivably support four or five fantasy starters. 

Ertz makes a great half of a tight-end-by-committee approach to your fantasy draft. Perhaps you should consider pairing him with ...

Ladarius Green, Chargers

ADP: 11th round

Like Ertz, Ladarius Green's physical talents are unique on his team. At 6-foot-6, he's the tallest pass catcher Philip Rivers has at his disposal (and Rivers loves him some big receivers). Don't write Green off as a slow possession receiver, though. Remarkably, Green's statistics place him among the NFL's best deep threats. When he ran pass routes last season, he tended to run them deep down the field - and caused nightmares for defenses in the process. 

New offensive coordinator Frank Reich's no-huddle offense should lead to greater usage of Green as a receiver. Though the Chargers have been reluctant to put Green on the field ahead of veteran Antonio Gates the past two seasons, that should finally change this year. Gates is just about washed up and Green is ready to bust loose. 

With an 11th-round ADP and top-five upside, Green could represent the best potential value of anyone on this list. 

Super Deep Sleepers

Tyler Eifert, Bengals

ADP: Undrafted

A first-round pick in 2013, Tyler Eifert produced only modest fantasy numbers as a rookie. That could change for him as a sophomore, perhaps primarily because he'll benefit from a teammate's misfortune.

With wide receiver Marvin Jones expected to miss the first month of the season with a foot injury, Eifert should see plenty of targets from Andy Dalton. After A.J. Green, Eifert projects as the next-best downfield receiving option on the Bengals. 

The Bengals won't be among the NFL's leaders in passing attempts, and Dalton probably won't match the 33 touchdowns he threw last season, so Eifert's upside is somewhat capped. That said, he should still get a big enough piece of the pie to become him a viable fantasy starter in 12-team leagues. Considering he's going undrafted in most leagues, you can't complain about that value.

Dwayne Allen, Colts

ADP: Undrafted

Who is Andrew Luck's go-to receiving option? Is it a 35-year-old Reggie Wayne coming off a torn ACL? Is it 5-foot-9 burner T.Y. Hilton, who may be best used as a deep threat? It certainly can't be Hakeem Nicks or Coby Fleener, right?

It might be Dwayne Allen. The third-year pro is being overlooked in fantasy leagues because he missed the 2013 season with a hip injury, but it's important to remember that he was tabbed for a major role in offensive coordinator Pep Hamilton's scheme before he got hurt. Now fully healthy, Allen is poised to live up to his promise.

The upside here is easy to see. If Luck continues his ascension to greatness and chooses Allen as his favorite target, the sky's the limit for Allen's value. The concern here is that the Colts' offensive line will continue to struggle and Allen, an excellent blocker, will be forced to remain in pass protection. 

Travis Kelce, Chiefs

ADP: Undrafted

Travis Kelce missed the majority of his rookie season after undergoing microfracture surgery on his knee (a procedure that was once a career-ender), but he announced his return to relevance with a monster 69-yard catch-and-run touchdown in the Chiefs' preseason opener.

Kelce has physical traits that compare to Graham and Gronkowski, and he's perhaps the ideal lottery ticket tight end for owners who like to shoot for the moon and are willing to cut ties with a complete bust.

Will Kelce hit? Probably not, because so few players do. Kelce must still hone his game and learn to use maximize his physical talents in a consistent manner. The good news is that he should get plenty of chances to do so on a Chiefs offense that lacks weapons in the passing game. 

Kelce is currently going undrafted in standard leagues, but expect that to change if he produces another "wow" play in the preseason.