Sports
T.O's fantasy minute
Tyler Ohmann
08/27/2013
The last installment of my fantasy preparation columns will cover the rest of the fantasy positions: tight ends, kickers and defense/special teams. These are the hardest positions to predict, and they also tend to mean pretty little in the grand scheme of the fantasy season, but I can’t leave them out, can I?
Tight ends are an unpredictable bunch this season. Especially outside the top three. While Jimmy Graham, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten can be counted on for strong production yet again this season, the rest of the 2013 tight end class is a big question mark.
Personally, I think taking one of those top tight ends will be a huge drawback because they will likely get taken early in drafts, where picks are better spent on a thin running back crowd.
The best bet is to wait late and take someone who has some upside, or someone who at least plays on a pass-happy offense.
1. Jimmy Graham (Saints): He plays for a pass-happy Saints team and is one of Brees' favorite targets. He without a doubt has the top spot locked up for 2013.
2. Jason Witten (Cowboys): The 'Boys will once again look to pass quite a bit this season, and Witten has been Tony Romo's undisputed favorite target for years. Though he turned 31 in May, Witten can still catch with the best of them, and had a career high 148 targets and 110 receptions in 2012.
3. Tony Gonzalez (Falcons): Another aged veteran, Gonzalez is searching for a Super Bowl with the Falcons, which means he will give his all this season. Matt Ryan loves the big guy, especially in the red zone, and touchdowns are the most valuable stat for tight ends.
4. Rob Gronkowski (Patriots): Though he'll likely miss time at the beginning of the year, having Gronk for half a year is as good as having most other tight ends for the whole year. He's still going very early in drafts, mainly because he will be great to have down the stretch and in playoffs.
5. Jermichael Finley (Packers): Though I have my doubts about the Packers this season, and Finley has had his share of drops the past couple of years, he has played very well this preseason and looks to bounce back in 2013.
6. Vernon Davis
7. Greg Olson
8. Kyle Rudolph
9. Antonio Gates
10. Owen Daniels
Kickers are about as hard to predict as the weather, and much like defenses, I refuse to try and rank them. I will offer a few words of advice based on my past experiences.
There is no viable way to predict kickers. Plain and simple. Some guys think taking a kicker from a bad offense will pay off, others think a kicker in a good offense is the way to go, but I say go with the gut. If a kicker has done well for you in the past, try and get him in the second to last round. If all else fails pick someone whom you've heard of before, or has had a lot of hype entering the season.
I lucked out and got Blair Walsh last season, so being a homer, and picking your favorite team's kicker might be the way to go. I don't know, and nobody knows. Don't let anyone tell you different.
As for defense/special teams the case is pretty much the same. Points for D/ST lie mainly on how many touchdowns and turnovers they get. If you think a particular defense has a lot of good players, maybe pick them, though it likely won't matter. I do have one strategy, which I also shared last year in taking D/ST. Take one in the final round and no earlier. Then week by week look at the available D/ST and pick one that is going against the worst offense or quarterback or special teams that week. It might cost a bit of coin if your league charges for add/drops, but it could also give you that extra point or two to get a win that week.
Thanks for reading my column's and I hope once again that I have helped prepare you on a basic level for your upcoming draft. I drafted one league last Saturday, one last night and have a pair of drafts upcoming before the season begins. I look forward to winning them all (but probably not).
Remember fantasy is unpredictable even seasoned veterans like me (I've played for 17 years) don't win them all. Good luck.