Most Dominant Fantasy Players Since 1970: Tight Ends

by Chase Stuart on June 22, 2019

Over the last week, I’ve looked at the best fantasy players since 1970. Here are those links:

QB single-season
QB career
RB single-season
RB career
WR single-season
WR career

Today, we use the same methodology to analyze the top TE seasons in fantasy history (or, at least, since 1970). Todd Christensen has the best season by a fantasy tight end catching 92 passes for 1,247 yards with 12 TDs at a time when many tight ends were doing nothing. Cincinnati’s Dan Ross was the 12th-ranked TE in adjusted fantasy points (he ranked 10th overall and played in 16 games) and he had a 42-483-3 stat line. Suffice it to say, having Christensen on your team was like a cheat code: other than a rookie Eric Dickerson, the Raiders TE was the most valuable player in fantasy football in 1983.

The other names in the top five — Christensen has the 5th best season, too — are much less surprising: Kellen Winslow, Rob Gronkowski, and Tony Gonzalez.

The table below shows the 200 most dominant seasons by a tight end in fantasy football since 1970.

Rk	Tight End	Year	Team	G	RshYd	RshTD	Rec	RecYd	RecTD	FP	VBD
1	Todd Christensen	1983	RAI	16	0	0	92	1247	12	242.7	155.4
2	Kellen Winslow	1982	SDG	9	0	0	54	721	6	135.1	147.4
3	Rob Gronkowski	2011	NWE	16	2	1	90	1327	17	285.9	143.8
4	Tony Gonzalez	2000	KAN	16	0	0	93	1203	9	220.8	140.7
5	Todd Christensen	1986	RAI	16	0	0	95	1153	8	210.8	131.6
6	Kellen Winslow	1980	SDG	16	0	0	89	1290	9	227.5	130.6
7	Travis Kelce	2018	KAN	16	0	0	103	1336	10	245.1	129.2
8	Ben Coates	1994	NWE	16	0	0	96	1174	7	207.4	127.4
9	Antonio Gates	2004	SDG	15	0	0	81	964	13	214.9	124.7
10	Shannon Sharpe	1996	DEN	15	0	0	80	1062	10	206.2	124.6
11	Tony Gonzalez	2004	KAN	16	5	0	102	1258	7	219.3	124.2
12	Jimmy Graham	2013	NOR	16	0	0	86	1215	16	260.5	122.1
13	Kellen Winslow	1983	SDG	16	0	0	88	1172	8	209.2	121.9
14	Antonio Gates	2005	SDG	15	0	0	89	1101	10	214.6	115.5
15	Shannon Sharpe	1993	DEN	16	0	0	81	995	9	194	115.3
16	Tony Gonzalez	1999	KAN	15	0	0	76	849	11	188.9	114.8
17	Kellen Winslow	1981	SDG	16	0	0	88	1075	10	211.5	111.6
18	Rich Caster	1972	NYJ	14	6	0	39	833	10	163.4	108.1
19	Wesley Walls	1999	CAR	16	0	0	63	822	12	185.7	107.3
20	Mark Bavaro	1987	NYG	12	0	0	55	867	8	162.2	106.8
21	Dave Casper	1982	HOU	9	9	0	36	573	6	112.2	106.7
22	Zach Ertz	2018	PHI	16	0	0	116	1163	8	222.3	106.4
23	Rob Gronkowski	2014	NWE	15	0	0	82	1124	12	225.4	105
24	Jimmy Graham	2011	NOR	16	0	0	99	1310	11	246.5	104.4
25	Tony Gonzalez	2008	KAN	16	0	0	96	1058	10	213.8	102
26	Charle Young	1973	PHI	14	24	1	55	854	6	157.3	100.7
27	Dave Casper	1976	OAK	13	5	0	53	691	10	156.1	99.7
28	Tony Gonzalez	2003	KAN	16	0	0	71	916	10	187.1	98.5
29	Rob Gronkowski	2015	NWE	15	0	0	72	1176	11	219.6	97.9
30	George Kittle	2018	SFO	16	10	0	88	1377	5	212.7	96.8
31	Rob Gronkowski	2017	NWE	14	0	0	69	1084	8	190.9	95.9
32	Ozzie Newsome	1982	CLE	9	0	0	49	633	3	105.8	95.3
33	Jason Witten	2007	DAL	16	0	0	96	1145	7	204.5	93.1
34	Ted Kwalick	1972	SFO	14	11	0	40	751	9	150.2	93
35	Shannon Sharpe	1994	DEN	15	0	0	87	1010	4	168.5	92.9
36	Travis Kelce	2017	KAN	15	7	0	83	1038	8	192	90.9
37	Ozzie Newsome	1983	CLE	16	0	0	89	970	6	177.5	90.2
38	Joe Senser	1981	MIN	16	2	0	79	1004	8	188.1	88.2
39	Paul Coffman	1983	GNB	16	0	0	54	814	11	174.4	87.1
40	Bob Tucker	1971	NYG	12	1	0	59	791	4	132.7	86.2
41	Tony Gonzalez	2007	KAN	16	0	0	99	1172	5	196.7	85.3
42	Walter White	1976	KAN	14	15	0	47	808	7	147.8	85.2
43	Keith Jackson	1988	PHI	16	0	0	81	869	6	163.4	84.9
44	Dave Casper	1978	OAK	16	5	0	62	852	9	170.7	84
45	Shannon Sharpe	1998	DEN	16	0	0	64	768	10	168.8	82.5
46	Dallas Clark	2009	IND	16	11	0	100	1106	10	221.7	82.5
47	Jason Witten	2004	DAL	16	0	0	87	980	6	177.5	82.4
48	Shannon Sharpe	1997	DEN	16	0	0	72	1107	3	164.7	81.3
49	Rodney Holman	1989	CIN	16	0	0	50	736	9	152.6	80.4
50	Rob Gronkowski	2012	NWE	11	0	0	55	790	11	172.5	78.8
51	Rich Caster	1974	NYJ	13	0	0	38	745	7	135.5	78.5
52	Antonio Gates	2007	SDG	16	0	0	75	984	9	189.9	78.5
53	Mark Bavaro	1986	NYG	16	0	0	66	1001	4	157.1	77.9
54	Eric Green	1993	PIT	16	0	0	63	942	5	155.7	77
55	Todd Christensen	1982	RAI	9	-6	0	42	510	4	95.4	76.8
56	Ben Coates	1995	NWE	16	0	0	84	915	6	169.5	76.2
57	Wesley Walls	1996	CAR	16	0	0	61	713	10	161.8	76.1
58	Eric Ebron	2018	IND	16	-8	1	66	750	13	191.2	75.3
59	Bob Tucker	1972	NYG	14	6	1	55	764	4	134.5	75.1
60	Vernon Davis	2009	SFO	16	0	0	78	965	13	213.5	74.3
61	Todd Christensen	1984	RAI	16	0	0	80	1007	7	182.7	74.1
62	Delanie Walker	2015	TEN	15	36	0	94	1088	6	195.4	73.7
63	Todd Heap	2002	BAL	16	38	0	68	836	6	157.4	73.1
64	Ozzie Newsome	1981	CLE	16	20	0	69	1002	6	172.7	72.8
65	Tony Gonzalez	2001	KAN	16	9	0	73	917	6	167.1	72.2
66	Ted Kwalick	1971	SFO	14	62	0	52	664	5	128.6	72.1
67	Jimmy Graham	2012	NOR	15	0	0	85	982	9	194.7	72.1
68	Shannon Sharpe	2003	DEN	15	0	0	62	770	8	156	72
69	Steve Jordan	1986	MIN	16	0	0	58	859	6	150.9	71.7
70	Todd Christensen	1985	RAI	16	0	0	82	987	6	175.7	71.5
71	Riley Odoms	1973	DEN	14	53	0	43	629	7	131.7	71.4
72	Ben Coates	1997	NWE	16	0	0	66	737	8	154.7	71.3
73	Dan Ross	1982	CIN	9	0	0	47	508	3	92.3	71.3
74	Mickey Shuler	1988	NYJ	15	0	0	70	805	5	145.5	70.5
75	Antonio Gates	2010	SDG	10	0	0	50	782	10	163.2	70.3
76	Kellen Winslow	2007	CLE	16	0	0	82	1106	5	181.6	70.2
77	Brent Jones	1994	SFO	15	0	0	49	670	9	145.5	69.9
78	Ted Kwalick	1973	SFO	14	37	0	47	729	5	130.1	69.6
79	Jason Witten	2010	DAL	16	0	0	94	1002	9	201.2	69.5
80	Zach Ertz	2017	PHI	14	0	0	72	800	8	164	69
81	Antonio Gates	2006	SDG	16	0	0	71	924	9	181.9	68.9
82	Gary Barnidge	2015	CLE	16	0	0	79	1043	9	197.8	68.7
83	Marv Cook	1991	NWE	16	0	0	82	808	3	139.8	67.8
84	Ben Coates	1996	NWE	16	0	0	62	682	9	153.2	67.5
85	Tony Gonzalez	2002	KAN	16	0	0	63	773	7	150.8	66.5
86	Raymond Chester	1972	OAK	13	3	0	34	576	8	122.9	66.1
87	Ozzie Newsome	1984	CLE	16	0	0	89	1001	5	174.6	66
88	Jay Novacek	1992	DAL	16	0	0	68	630	6	133	64.7
89	Jeremy Shockey	2005	NYG	15	0	0	65	891	7	163.6	64.5
90	Shannon Sharpe	2000	BAL	16	0	0	67	810	5	144.5	64.4
91	Jimmy Graham	2014	NOR	16	0	0	85	889	10	191.4	64.3
92	Antonio Gates	2009	SDG	16	0	0	79	1157	8	203.2	64
93	Mickey Shuler	1985	NYJ	16	0	0	76	879	7	167.9	63.7
94	Henry Childs	1977	NOR	13	0	0	33	518	9	122.3	63.1
95	Ozzie Newsome	1979	CLE	16	6	0	55	781	9	160.2	62.3
96	Bob Tucker	1973	NYG	14	4	0	50	681	5	123.5	62.1
97	Freddie Jones	2000	SDG	16	0	0	71	766	5	142.1	62
98	Greg Olsen	2015	CAR	16	0	0	77	1104	7	190.9	61.8
99	Walter White	1977	KAN	13	-3	0	48	674	5	121.1	61.7
100	Ben Coates	1993	NWE	16	0	0	53	659	8	140.4	61.7
101	Antonio Gates	2014	SDG	16	0	0	69	821	12	188.6	61.5
102	Rickey Dudley	1997	OAK	16	0	0	48	787	7	144.7	61.3
103	Wesley Walls	1997	CAR	15	0	0	58	746	6	139.6	60.9
104	Todd Heap	2005	BAL	16	0	0	75	855	7	165	60.6
105	Riley Odoms	1974	DEN	14	25	0	42	639	6	123.4	59.9
106	Riley Odoms	1978	DEN	16	5	0	54	829	6	146.4	59.7
107	Raymond Chester	1979	OAK	14	0	0	58	712	8	148.2	59.7
108	Ben Coates	1998	NWE	14	0	0	67	668	6	136.3	59.3
109	Charle Young	1974	PHI	14	38	0	63	696	3	122.9	59.3
110	Keith Jackson	1990	PHI	14	0	0	50	670	6	128	59
111	Keith Jackson	1994	MIA	16	0	0	59	673	7	138.8	58.8
112	Jeremy Shockey	2002	NYG	15	0	0	74	894	2	138.4	58.8
113	Tyler Eifert	2015	CIN	13	0	0	52	615	13	165.5	58.6
114	Julius Thomas	2013	DEN	14	0	0	65	788	12	183.3	58.4
115	Eric Green	1991	PIT	11	0	0	41	582	6	114.7	58
116	Brent Jones	1990	SFO	16	0	0	56	747	5	132.7	57.8
117	Tony Gonzalez	2012	ATL	16	0	0	93	930	8	187.5	57.7
118	Vernon Davis	2013	SFO	15	0	0	52	850	13	189	57.3
119	Jerry Smith	1970	WAS	14	29	0	43	575	9	135.9	57.3
120	Dan Ross	1981	CIN	16	0	0	71	910	5	156.5	56.6
121	Kellen Winslow	1986	SDG	16	0	0	64	728	5	134.8	55.6
122	Steve Jordan	1988	MIN	16	0	0	57	756	5	134.1	55.6
123	Keith Jackson	1992	MIA	13	0	0	48	594	5	113.4	54.8
124	Dave Casper	1977	OAK	14	0	0	48	584	6	118.4	54.7
125	Doug Cosbie	1982	DAL	9	-2	0	30	441	4	82.9	54.6
126	Rich Caster	1975	NYJ	14	0	0	47	820	4	129.5	54.6
127	Jim Mitchell	1971	ATL	13	25	0	33	593	5	108.3	53.6
128	Dallas Clark	2008	IND	15	0	0	77	848	6	159.3	53.5
129	Dallas Clark	2007	IND	15	29	0	58	616	11	159.5	53.3
130	Jimmie Giles	1982	TAM	9	1	0	28	499	3	82	53
131	Emery Moorehead	1982	CHI	9	3	0	30	363	5	81.6	52.3
132	Alge Crumpler	2004	ATL	14	0	0	48	774	6	137.4	52.1
133	Jim Mitchell	1970	ATL	14	23	1	44	650	6	131.3	52
134	Greg Olsen	2014	CAR	16	0	0	84	1008	6	178.8	51.7
135	Shannon Sharpe	1995	DEN	13	0	0	63	756	4	131.1	51
136	Rickey Dudley	1999	OAK	16	0	0	39	555	9	129	50.6
137	Dave Parks	1972	NOR	12	-7	0	32	542	6	105.5	50.6
138	Marcus Pollard	2001	IND	16	0	0	47	739	8	145.4	50.5
139	Chris Cooley	2005	WAS	16	0	0	71	774	7	154.9	50.5
140	Henry Childs	1978	NOR	16	-4	0	53	869	4	137	50.3
141	Frank Wycheck	2000	TEN	16	0	0	70	636	4	130.3	50.2
142	Jason Witten	2008	DAL	16	0	0	81	952	4	161.8	50
143	Robert Awalt	1987	STL	12	-9	0	42	526	6	108.7	49.7
144	Ethan Horton	1991	RAI	16	0	0	53	650	5	121.5	49.5
145	Keith Jackson	1989	PHI	14	0	0	63	648	3	114.3	48.7
146	Aaron Hernandez	2011	NWE	14	45	0	79	910	7	177	48.6
147	Tony Gonzalez	2006	KAN	15	0	0	73	900	5	156.5	48.6
148	Chris Cooley	2007	WAS	16	0	0	66	786	8	159.6	48.2
149	Kellen Winslow	1984	SDG	7	0	0	55	663	2	105.8	48.1
150	Don Hasselbeck	1981	NWE	14	0	0	46	808	6	139.8	47.9
151	Johnny Mitchell	1994	NYJ	16	0	0	58	749	4	127.9	47.9
152	Jay Novacek	1991	DAL	16	0	0	59	664	4	119.9	47.9
153	Johnny Mitchell	1993	NYJ	14	0	0	39	630	6	118.5	47.5
154	Jason Witten	2012	DAL	16	0	0	110	1039	3	176.9	47.1
155	Frank Wycheck	1997	TEN	16	0	0	63	748	4	130.3	46.9
156	Shannon Sharpe	2002	DEN	13	0	0	61	686	3	117.1	46.8
157	Brent Jones	1993	SFO	16	0	0	68	735	3	125.5	46.8
158	Mickey Shuler	1986	NYJ	16	0	0	69	675	4	126	46.8
159	Jean Fugett	1977	WAS	14	0	0	36	631	5	111.1	46.4
160	Chad Lewis	2000	PHI	16	0	0	69	735	3	126	45.9
161	Alge Crumpler	2005	ATL	16	0	0	65	877	5	150.2	45.8
162	Derrick Ramsey	1984	NWE	16	0	0	66	792	7	154.2	45.6
163	Martellus Bennett	2014	CHI	16	0	0	90	916	6	172.6	45.5
164	Cam Cleeland	1998	NOR	16	0	0	54	684	6	131.4	45.1
165	Keith Jackson	1996	GNB	16	0	0	40	505	10	130.5	44.8
166	Jermaine Wiggins	2004	MIN	14	0	0	71	705	4	130	44.7
167	Randy McMichael	2004	MIA	16	0	0	73	791	4	139.6	44.5
168	Jay Novacek	1990	DAL	16	0	0	59	657	4	119.2	44.3
169	Brent Jones	1992	SFO	15	0	0	45	628	4	109.3	44.2
170	Dave Parks	1971	NOR	14	-2	0	35	568	5	104.1	44.1
171	Brent Celek	2009	PHI	16	0	0	76	971	8	183.1	43.9
172	Jared Cook	2018	OAK	16	0	0	68	896	6	159.6	43.7
173	Mark Chmura	1995	GNB	16	0	0	54	679	7	136.9	43.6
174	Doug Cosbie	1985	DAL	16	0	0	64	793	6	147.3	43.1
175	Jeremy Shockey	2004	NYG	15	0	0	61	666	6	133.1	42.9
176	Kyle Brady	2000	JAX	16	0	0	64	729	3	122.9	42.8
177	Jay Novacek	1995	DAL	15	0	0	62	705	5	131.5	42.6
178	Heath Miller	2012	PIT	15	0	0	71	816	8	165.1	42.5
179	Todd Christensen	1987	RAI	12	0	0	47	663	2	101.8	42.3
180	Henry Childs	1979	NOR	16	0	0	51	846	5	140.1	42.2
181	Russ Francis	1980	NWE	15	0	0	41	664	8	134.9	42.2
182	Willie Frazier	1970	SDG	14	120	1	38	497	6	122.7	42.2
183	Jordan Cameron	2013	CLE	15	0	0	80	917	7	173.7	42
184	Jackie Harris	1993	GNB	12	0	0	42	604	4	105.4	42
185	Keith Jackson	1993	MIA	15	0	0	39	613	6	116.8	41.9
186	Alge Crumpler	2006	ATL	16	0	0	56	780	8	154	41
187	Evan Engram	2017	NYG	15	14	0	64	722	6	141.6	40.5
188	Eric Johnson	2004	SFO	16	0	0	82	825	2	135.5	40.4
189	Jason Witten	2005	DAL	16	0	0	66	757	6	144.7	40.3
190	Frank Wycheck	1999	TEN	16	0	0	69	641	2	118.7	40.3
191	Raymond Chester	1971	OAK	14	5	0	28	442	7	100.7	40.2
192	Pete Metzelaars	1993	BUF	16	0	0	68	609	4	118.9	40.2
193	Mickey Shuler	1984	NYJ	16	0	0	68	782	6	148.2	39.6
194	Charlie Sanders	1971	DET	13	0	0	31	502	5	95.7	39.2
195	Eric Green	1997	BAL	16	0	0	65	601	5	122.6	39.2
196	Mark Bavaro	1988	NYG	16	0	0	53	672	4	117.7	39.2
197	Keith Jackson	1991	PHI	16	0	0	48	569	5	110.9	38.9
198	Junior Miller	1980	ATL	16	-2	0	46	584	9	135.2	38.3
199	Clint Didier	1986	WAS	14	0	0	34	691	4	110.1	38.2
200	Travis Kelce	2016	KAN	16	-5	0	85	1125	4	178.5	37.9

Please leave your thoughts in the comments.

Tagged as: VBD

{ 0 comments }