Things seemed so different as we were finishing up the magazine last week. Contract-year tight end Kyle Rudolph was likely headed out of Minnesota, maybe by trade or release, freeing up second-rounder Irv Smith to have sleeper potential at tight end. Well, nope.
The Vikings and Rudolph agreed on a four-year, $36 million extension that will keep the 29-year-old in Minnesota. Scratch Smith off the potential starters at tight end list, and put aside those dreams of Rudolph being dealt to New England or Oakland. He'll be in Minnesota this season and perhaps the next several.
Rudolph had some injury issues earlier in his career, but has now played all 16 games four years in a row. He's averaged 63 catches and 6 TDs in those seasons. He's been a top-15 fantasy tight end in each of them (1 point for 10 yards and 6 for touchdowns) -- 4th, 7th, 9th and 14th.
TIGHT END FANTASY PERFORMANCE, 2015-2018 | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Year | Player | No | Yds | TD | FF | Rk |
2018 | Travis Kelce | 103 | 1336 | 10 | 193.6 | 1 |
2015 | Rob Gronkowski | 72 | 1176 | 11 | 183.6 | 1 |
2018 | George Kittle | 88 | 1377 | 5 | 170.7 | 2 |
2018 | Zach Ertz | 116 | 1163 | 8 | 164.3 | 3 |
2015 | Jordan Reed | 87 | 952 | 11 | 161.2 | 2 |
2017 | Rob Gronkowski | 69 | 1084 | 8 | 158.4 | 1 |
2015 | Gary Barnidge | 79 | 1043 | 9 | 158.3 | 3 |
2018 | Eric Ebron | 66 | 750 | 14 | 158.2 | 4 |
2017 | Travis Kelce | 83 | 1038 | 8 | 152.5 | 2 |
2015 | Greg Olsen | 77 | 1104 | 7 | 152.4 | 4 |
2015 | Delanie Walker | 94 | 1088 | 6 | 146.8 | 5 |
2015 | Tyler Eifert | 52 | 615 | 13 | 139.5 | 6 |
2016 | Travis Kelce | 85 | 1125 | 4 | 138.5 | 1 |
2017 | Zach Ertz | 74 | 824 | 8 | 130.4 | 3 |
2016 | Jimmy Graham | 65 | 923 | 6 | 128.3 | 2 |
2016 | Greg Olsen | 80 | 1073 | 3 | 127.3 | 3 |
2016 | Kyle Rudolph | 83 | 840 | 7 | 126.0 | 4 |
2018 | Jared Cook | 68 | 896 | 6 | 125.6 | 5 |
2016 | Delanie Walker | 65 | 800 | 7 | 122.0 | 5 |
2015 | Travis Kelce | 72 | 875 | 5 | 121.5 | 7 |
2015 | Benjamin Watson | 74 | 825 | 6 | 118.5 | 8 |
2017 | Jimmy Graham | 57 | 520 | 10 | 114 | 4 |
2016 | Cameron Brate | 57 | 660 | 8 | 114.0 | 6 |
2016 | Martellus Bennett | 55 | 701 | 7 | 112.1 | 7 |
2017 | Evan Engram | 64 | 722 | 6 | 109.6 | 5 |
2016 | Zach Ertz | 78 | 816 | 4 | 105.6 | 8 |
2016 | Jordan Reed | 66 | 686 | 6 | 104.6 | 9 |
2017 | Delanie Walker | 74 | 807 | 4 | 104.5 | 6 |
2017 | Kyle Rudolph | 57 | 532 | 8 | 101.2 | 7 |
2015 | Richard Rodgers | 58 | 510 | 8 | 101.0 | 9 |
2015 | Zach Ertz | 75 | 853 | 2 | 97.3 | 10 |
2016 | Antonio Gates | 53 | 548 | 7 | 96.8 | 10 |
2016 | Hunter Henry | 36 | 478 | 8 | 95.8 | 11 |
2018 | Trey Burton | 54 | 569 | 6 | 95.1 | 6 |
2017 | Cameron Brate | 48 | 591 | 6 | 95.1 | 8 |
2017 | Jack Doyle | 80 | 690 | 4 | 93 | 9 |
2015 | Antonio Gates | 56 | 630 | 5 | 93.0 | 11 |
2018 | Austin Hooper | 71 | 660 | 4 | 92 | 7 |
2015 | Jason Witten | 77 | 713 | 3 | 89.3 | 12 |
2016 | Jack Doyle | 59 | 584 | 5 | 88.4 | 12 |
2018 | David Njoku | 56 | 639 | 4 | 87.9 | 8 |
2018 | Kyle Rudolph | 64 | 634 | 4 | 87.4 | 9 |
2016 | Coby Fleener | 50 | 631 | 4 | 87.1 | 13 |
2018 | O.J. Howard | 34 | 565 | 5 | 86.5 | 10 |
2018 | Rob Gronkowski | 47 | 682 | 3 | 86.2 | 11 |
2017 | Jason Witten | 63 | 560 | 5 | 86 | 10 |
2016 | Jason Witten | 69 | 673 | 3 | 85.3 | 14 |
2018 | Vance McDonald | 50 | 610 | 4 | 85 | 12 |
2016 | Dennis Pitta | 86 | 729 | 2 | 84.9 | 15 |
2015 | Eric Ebron | 47 | 537 | 5 | 83.7 | 13 |
2016 | Eric Ebron | 61 | 711 | 2 | 83.1 | 16 |
2017 | Vernon Davis | 43 | 648 | 3 | 82.8 | 11 |
2017 | Tyler Kroft | 42 | 404 | 7 | 82.4 | 12 |
2017 | Hunter Henry | 45 | 579 | 4 | 81.9 | 13 |
2017 | Eric Ebron | 53 | 574 | 4 | 81.4 | 14 |
2018 | Evan Engram | 45 | 577 | 3 | 81.3 | 13 |
2017 | Jared Cook | 54 | 688 | 2 | 80.8 | 15 |
2016 | C.J. Fiedorowicz | 54 | 559 | 4 | 79.9 | 17 |
2015 | Kyle Rudolph | 49 | 495 | 5 | 79.5 | 14 |
Minnesota fired its offensive coordinator with just three games left last season, but it looks like Rudolph's role will be secure in the new system. His best game last year came in Week 16, when he caught 9 passes for 122 yards and 2 TDs at Detroit. In those three games he caught a quarter of his passes on the season (16) and half his touchdowns (2).
Those hoping New England trades for a veteran tight end will need to look elsewhere. Those hoping Irv Smith will be fantasy viable will need an injury, or to be patient.
--Andy Richardson