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TE Rankings Tier 1 1. Antonio Gates(Chargers) bye week: 7 age: 27 -the number one fantasy TE by a mile, Gates once again produced head and shoulders above the rest of his counterparts. Blessed with tremendous hands and unique speed for his size, Gates can make any type of catch there is. With a year of working with QB Philip Rivers under his belt, the timing between the two will be much better going into this season. If you plan on drafting him, then don't wait past round 3 because he won't be there much later. The only sure-thing at the position, Gates is worth the early pick.

Tier 2 2. Tony Gonzalez(Chiefs) bye week: 8 age: 31 -it seems like Gonzalez has been around forever but at a still young 31, Tony still has a few good years left. After an off-year in 2005, there were some who wondered whether Gonzalez was on the downside of his career. However after catching 73 balls along with 5 TD's, Gonzalez put those fears to rest. The muddled QB situation does negatively impact Gonzalez' potential as Damon Huard and Brodie Croyle will not have the rapport with him that former QB Trent Green had. The days of Tony catching 90 passed with double digit TD's is long gone but he still will put up better than average numbers for a TE. Draft with confidence but I won't quibble if you take Todd Heap over him.

3. Todd Heap(Ravens) bye week: 8 age: 27 -speaking of Heap, Baltimore's TE is knocking on the door to the number 2 ranking among TE's. The only thing standing in his way from having a monster season are the nagging injuries that seem to crop up each year. 73 catches and 6 TD's however is more than good enough for a shallow position and Heap should be off the board rather early in your draft. Don't hesitate to grab him a round early due to his still existing potential.

4. Jeremy Shockey(Giants) bye week: 9 age: 27 -the controversial loudmouth Shockey once again put up a good but not great season. Injuries always seem to be hampering him due to his all-out play and while you love the effort, fantasy owners would love less recklessness in order to gain more durability. Shockey can also be frustrating to own as he will completely dominate some games and then completely vanish in others. Seems to have hit his ceiling which is 60-something catches along with 6-8 TD's. Draft him without blinking an eye but prepare yourself for some maddening injuries/inconsistency.

5. Chris Cooley(Redskins) bye week: 4 age: 25 -Cooley is still an under-the-radar option who will be more than adequate at your TE slot. Combining great hands with sprinter's speed, Cooley always seem to get himself open. With young QB Jason Campbell looking his way often, Cooley had a big second half of the 2006 season after a quiet first half with Mark Brunell. Young QB's habitually rely on their TE's as they learn the nuances of the passing game so count on Cooley to contribute at least 60 receptions with the possibility of a good deal more. On the rise and he won't disappoint you. Draft with confidence.

6. Kellen Winslow(Browns) bye week: 7 age: 24 -after finally kicking the injury bug that marred his first two pro seasons, Winslow showed why he was the fourth overall draft pick in his draft class. No TE in football has better speed and his competitiveness keeps him involved in a large number of plays. His 89 catches led his position and if Cleveland has any semblance of a QB, Winslow could have had double-digit TD's instead of the 3 he only was able to grab. So draft him early right? Wrong! Off-season micro fracture knee surgery clouds his availability for the upcoming season and is definite cause for concern. After such a procedure, it typically takes an athlete a full season to recover. Monitor this situation carefully before your draft him. If it appears he will be ok for the start of the season, than feel free to snag him somewhere in rounds 6-8. If there are questions about his health to start the year, than let him be someone else's problem. Tread carefully here..

7. Jason Witten(Cowboys) bye week: 8 age: 25 -my favorite player at the position, Witten is a QB's dream as his fantastic hands and ability to find the soft spot in the zone allow him to be a safety valve for his passer. 64 receptions last season was more than good enough but the 1 TD he scored was not so good. It appeared that Witten and QB Drew Bledsoe never got on the same page the first half of the season but once Tony Romo took over, the Witten of 2004 and 2005 began to reappear. Look for Jason to get back to his customary 5-7 TD's along with upping his reception totals to the 70-plus mark. Will be looked over by many this drafting season due to last year's single score but be the smart one who grabs this talented receiver at a discount. DRAFT HIM!!!!!!!

8. Alge Crumpler(Falcons) bye week: 8 age: 29 -quietly has been one of the most productive TE's in all of fantasy the last few years, Crumpler finished last season with a career-high 8 TD's. At 29 years of age, you know what your going to get with Crumpler which is around 50-something catches, along with 5-7 TD's. The reason we don't have him ranked higher is due to the fact that QB Michael Vick stands a good chance of missing some or all of the 2007 season while he answers to dog fighting charges. This will hurt Crumpler's overall numbers and since he doesn't contribute as many catches as those mentioned above, he may be looking at a down year. Try to look elsewhere when aiming for your TE but don't also ignore him completely.

9. Vernon Davis(49ers) bye week: 6 age: 23 -if you were to look up the word "freak" in the dictionary, you would no loner see Jevon Kearse's face there as it would now portray San Francsico 49ers second-year TE Vernon Davis. With the ability to run like a RB and the strength of a linebacker, there is seemingly no way to stop this athletic marvel. His rookie season must be thrown out due to the leg injury that cost him 6 games and thus you are looking at as big a breakout player the position has to offer. I would even venture to say that Davis has an extremely good chance to put up Antonio Gates type numbers. This is your last chance to ever draft him at such a discount as his injury-marred numbers will make many look past him. Don't you be that foolish. Reach for the stars when drafting this potential monster.

Tier 3 10. LJ Smith(Eagles) bye week: 5 age: 27 -just like his counterpart in New York, LJ Smith can drive his owners crazy with his inconsistency. The former Rutgers standout has shown flashes of becoming an 80-catch, 10 TD TE but injuries and lapses in concentration have conspired to hold him back. There is no question however that he does have talent and at the age of 27, he still has a chance to put it all together this season and become a star. Don't count on it however as it is becoming increasingly clear that Smith will have his good and bad weeks. Draft him but know that the door to stardom is almost shut.

11. Randy McMichael(Rams) bye week: 9 age: 28 -once again, McMichael decent enough numbers last season as he hauled in 62 passes with 3 scores. While he will never be a TD machine, McMichael is a more than adequate option at TE once the bigger names are off the board. His signing with the St. Louis Rams should also help his numbers as the home of the "Greatest Show On Turf" is a major upgrade over what passed for offense in Miami last year. Look for the same amount of receptions with 2 more scores thrown in. Solid player who will help your squad.

The Rest 12. Benjamin Watson(Patriots) bye week: 10 age: 26 -still waiting for that breakout season from Watson that many expected when he was drafted out of college. My feeling is that we will be waiting another season before that happens. Its not that Watson is not talented. Anyone who saw him rundown Denver CB Champ Bailey in the playoffs two years ago clearly could see he has rare skills for a man his size. The problem for Watson are the following: Moss, Stallworth, Welker, Washington. Those are the last names of the FOUR WR's NE brought in through trades and free agency. There competition for passes will be fierce and Watson figures to be lost in the shuffle at times which will hurt his numbers. Draft him for his potential but don't expect anything more than 50 catches or so with a few scores.

13. Daniel Graham(Broncos) bye week: 6 age: 28 -once free agency began this off-season, former NE TE Daniel Graham took very little time in signing with the Denver Broncos with the promise of more opportunities to become the receiver he felt he never got the chance to become with the Patriots. Graham's frustration with coach Bill Belichick leaving him in to constantly block was the impetus for his quick exit out of the Northeast. Graham indeed does have a decent set of hands with good speed. However with QB Jay Cutler's favorite target being second TE Tony Scheffler, Graham will again have to compete for catches which will depress the numbers he expects to have. Could post better than expected numbers but I say otherwise. Let him go to someone else on draft day.

14. Heath Miller(Steelers) bye week: 6 age: 24 -many great things were expected out of Miller after his impressive rookie season. However injuries to starting QB Ben Roethlisberger and the increased emphasis on the running game proved to stifle Miller's numbers last season. Although he did score 5 TD's, his 34 catches must improve for him to be a viable fantasy contributor. I believe with Roethlisberger back healthy, Miller has the chance to get back into the 45-55 catch level while still scoring TD's as he has proved to have a nose for the end zone. Don't give up on him yet after last year's struggles. Draft his as a backup and hope he busts out.

15. Dallas Clark(Colts) bye week: 6 age: 28 -it really is not surprising that Dallas Clark never fulfilled the Pro Bowl potential Indianapolis envisioned when they made him their first round pick five years ago. Injuries and an over reliance by QB Peyton Manning on his receivers Marvin Harrison and Reggie Wayne have conspired to keep Clark from reaching star status. Although he does have great speed for a TE with very good hands, there are just too many options for Manning(including backup TE Ben Utecht) for Clark to garner enough catches to become an every week fantasy starter. Pass on him.

16. Eric Johnson(Saints) bye week: 4 age: 27 -injuries have done nothing but cripple this talented pass-catcher the last two season and so he comes into the season extremely undervalued. Back in 2004, Johnson caught 82 passes with the 49ers which proved he could be an every-week fantasy starter. But boy the injuries! His signing with the high-powered New Orleans passing game does help his value and IF he can avoid the injuries(don't count on it), 60 catches and 2 or 3 scores is possible. Draft him as a sleeper AFTER you took someone from above.

17. Desmond Clark(Bears) bye week: 9 age: 30 -Clark opened many eyes last season with a surprisingly solid campaign. Used as raw QB Rex Grossman's safety net, Clark grabbed 45 passes with 6 scores. Don't fall into this trap however. Avoid Clark on draft day as his inconsistency(he had 2 or fewer catches in half his starts) along with the presence of hot-shot first-round pick TE Greg Olsen will negatively impact his value and keep him as a middling fantasy prospect. Look another direction.

Don't Draft But Monitor 18. Marcus Pollard(Seahawks) -should see more catches now the he is out of Detroit. Could rebound some. Bye week option.

19. David Martin(Dolphins) -has potential to put up pretty decent numbers in Miami with TE-loving QB Trent Green under center. Definite sleeper candidate you need to pay attention to during the year.

20. Ben Troupe(Titans) -QB Vince Young will need to throw the ball to someone and this former first-round pick is just as good a bet as anyone to be the beneficiary. Has potential but to this point has been a bust. Keep and eye on him early on.

21. Owen Daniels(Texans) -had a decent rookie year with 34 catches and 5 TD's. Could put up slightly better numbers, especially with young QB Matt Schaub at the controls. Watch him early on in the season to see if he merits a signing.

22. Tony Scheffler(Broncos) 23. Chris Baker(Jets) 24. Jerramy Stevens(Buc's)

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