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2017 Fantasy Rankings: Tight Ends

Gronk was the top TE of 2017.

This week at Football Perspective: an analysis of the 2017 fantasy results. I will be using the same methodology throughout this series.

  • To calculate fantasy points, I will be using the following system: 1 point per 20 yards passing, 5 points per passing TD, -2 points per INT, 1 point per 10 yards rushing/receiving, 6 points per rushing/receiving touchdown, and 0.5 points per reception.
  • To measure fantasy production, I will be using VBD, which stands for Value Based Drafting. For players who play a full 16-game schedule, the formula is easy: you begin with each player’s fantasy points, and then subtract from that number the baseline at that position. For QBs and TEs, the baseline is the player with the 12th most fantasy points at the position. For RBs, it’s RB24, and for WRs, the baseline is WR30. For players who missed time, I give them some credit for those missed games under the assumption that a fantasy player would put another player into their lineup if that player was out. So for every game a QB/TE misses, he gets the FP/G of QB18 or TE18, as applicable; for RBs, I used RB30 as replacement, and for WRs, I used WR36. If a player missed more than 10 games, he was excluded entirely, but if he played in at least 6 games, he was included.
  • For players who finish below the baseline (i.e., would have negative VBD), I’m ranking them based on fantasy points per game. I’m not too concerned by this, and if you have another preference, that’s perfectly fine. I thought it would simply be the easiest way to present the data.

Below are the fantasy rankings for tight ends in 2017.

VBD RkPlayerTmAgeGYdsTDRecYdsTDFPFP/GPOS RKVBD
1Rob GronkowskiNWE2814006910848190.913.6297.3
2Travis KelceKAN2815708310388192.012.8191.3
3Zach ErtzPHI271400748248167.412.0373.8
4Evan EngramNYG2315140647226141.69.4440.9
5Delanie WalkerTEN3316-21748073141.58.8533.7
6Jimmy GrahamSEA3116005752010140.58.8632.7
7Jack DoyleIND271500806904133.08.9732.3
8Kyle RudolphMIN281600575328129.78.1821.9
9Cameron BrateTAM261600485916119.17.4911.3
10Hunter HenryLAC231400455794104.47.51410.8
11Jordan ReedWAS2760027211246.67.8399.8
12Jason WittenDAL351600635605117.57.3109.7
13Charles ClayBUF28130049558292.37.1185.8
14Eric EbronDET241600535744107.96.7110.1
15Jared CookOAK301600546882107.86.7120.0
16Ben WatsonBAL371600615224106.76.7130.0
17O.J. HowardTAM23140026432692.26.6190.0
18Vernon DavisWAS331600436483104.36.5150.0
19Tyler KroftCIN251600424047103.46.5160.0
20Austin Seferian-JenkinsNYJ25130050357378.76.1220.0
21Austin HooperATL23160049526395.15.9170.0
22Zach MillerCHI3380020236245.65.7410.0
23George KittleSFO24150043515285.05.7200.0
24Julius ThomasMIA29140041388377.35.5230.0
25David NjokuCLE21161032386478.74.9210.0
26Martellus Bennett2TM3090030286043.64.8440.0
27Greg OlsenCAR3270017191133.64.8500.0
28Jesse JamesPIT23160043372376.74.8240.0
29Coby FleenerNOR29110022295252.54.8340.0
30Marcedes LewisJAX33160024318573.84.6250.0
31Trey BurtonPHI26150023248566.34.4270.0
32Ricky Seals-JonesARI22100012201344.14.4430.0
33Jermaine GreshamARI29140033322260.74.3310.0
34A.J. Derby2TM26110021244246.94.3370.0
35Garrett CelekSFO29160021336468.14.3260.0
36Ed DicksonCAR30160030437164.74.0280.0
37Ryan GriffinHOU2770013158128.34.0550.0
38Antonio GatesLAC37160030316364.64.0290.0
39Seth DevalveCLE24160033395162.03.9300.0
40Nick O'LearyBUF25150022322255.23.7320.0

As always, please leave your thoughts in the comments.

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