Washington released Jordan Reed yesterday. The tight end is currently healthy, but that was the case a year ago, too. He played in one preseason game, caught one pass, took a huge (penalized) hit, and was done for the season. He apparently wants to continue his career, but from the outside it seems like a mistake.
Reed's talent will likely get him a look from a few teams, because when he's able to stay on the field, he's a difference-maker. Prior to last year, he was able to play in at least 12 games in three of the previous four seasons (2015, 2016 and 2018). On a per-game basis, those were three of the best 75 fantasy performances by a tight end (minimum 8 starts) over those four years -- and two of the top 15 (Standard scoring). Only Gronk and Kelce had better seasons than Reed's 2015 campaign.
| TIGHT END FF POINTS, PER GAME (2014-2018) | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | St | No | Yds | TD | FPG |
| 2015 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 15 | 4.8 | 78.4 | .73 | 12.2 |
| 2018 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 6.4 | 83.5 | .63 | 12.1 |
| 2015 | Jordan Reed, Wash. | 14 | 6.2 | 68.0 | .79 | 11.5 |
| 2017 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 14 | 4.9 | 77.4 | .60 | 11.3 |
| 2015 | Tyler Eifert, Cin. | 13 | 4.0 | 47.3 | 1.00 | 10.7 |
| 2018 | George Kittle, S.F. | 16 | 5.5 | 86.7 | .33 | 10.7 |
| 2018 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 16 | 7.3 | 72.7 | .50 | 10.3 |
| 2017 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 15 | 5.5 | 69.2 | .53 | 10.1 |
| 2015 | Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 15 | 6.3 | 74.9 | .42 | 10.0 |
| 2015 | Gary Barnidge, Clev. | 16 | 4.9 | 65.2 | .56 | 9.9 |
| 2018 | Eric Ebron, Ind. | 16 | 4.1 | 46.4 | .88 | 9.9 |
| 2017 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 13 | 5.5 | 61.5 | .62 | 9.8 |
| 2015 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 16 | 4.8 | 69.0 | .44 | 9.5 |
| 2016 | Jordan Reed, Wash. | 12 | 5.5 | 57.2 | .50 | 8.7 |
| 2018 | O.J. Howard, T.B. | 10 | 3.4 | 56.5 | .50 | 8.7 |
| 2016 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 5.3 | 70.0 | .27 | 8.6 |
| 2016 | Jimmy Graham, Sea. | 15 | 4.3 | 60.8 | .40 | 8.5 |
| 2015 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 11 | 5.1 | 57.3 | .45 | 8.5 |
| 2016 | Cameron Brate, T.B. | 13 | 3.9 | 47.2 | .62 | 8.4 |
| 2016 | Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 15 | 4.3 | 54.1 | .47 | 8.2 |
| 2016 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 16 | 5.0 | 67.1 | .21 | 8.0 |
| 2016 | Kyle Rudolph, Minn. | 16 | 5.2 | 52.5 | .44 | 7.9 |
| 2018 | Jared Cook, Oak. | 16 | 4.3 | 56.0 | .38 | 7.9 |
| 2015 | Travis Kelce, K.C. | 16 | 4.5 | 54.7 | .36 | 7.6 |
| 2016 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 14 | 5.6 | 58.3 | .29 | 7.5 |
| 2015 | Benjamin Watson, N.O. | 16 | 4.6 | 51.6 | .38 | 7.4 |
| 2018 | Evan Engram, NYG | 11 | 4.1 | 55.7 | .30 | 7.4 |
| 2016 | Zach Miller, Chi. | 10 | 4.7 | 48.6 | .40 | 7.3 |
| 2017 | Evan Engram, NYG | 15 | 4.3 | 48.1 | .40 | 7.2 |
| 2017 | Jimmy Graham, Sea. | 16 | 3.6 | 32.5 | .65 | 7.1 |
| 2015 | Will Tye, NYG | 8 | 4.3 | 48.4 | .38 | 7.1 |
| 2016 | Martellus Bennett, N.E. | 16 | 3.4 | 44.4 | .44 | 7.1 |
| 2016 | Antonio Gates, S.D. | 14 | 3.8 | 39.1 | .50 | 6.9 |
| 2018 | Rob Gronkowski, N.E. | 13 | 3.6 | 52.5 | .23 | 6.6 |
| 2015 | Jimmy Graham, Sea. | 11 | 4.4 | 55.0 | .18 | 6.6 |
| 2017 | Delanie Walker, Tenn. | 16 | 4.6 | 50.4 | .25 | 6.5 |
| 2015 | Crockett Gillmore, Balt. | 10 | 3.3 | 41.2 | .40 | 6.5 |
| 2015 | Zach Ertz, Phil. | 15 | 5.0 | 56.9 | .13 | 6.5 |
| 2016 | Eric Ebron, Det. | 13 | 4.7 | 54.8 | .15 | 6.4 |
| 2016 | Hunter Henry, S.D. | 15 | 2.4 | 31.9 | .53 | 6.4 |
| 2015 | Richard Rodgers, G.B. | 16 | 3.6 | 32.6 | .52 | 6.4 |
| 2017 | Kyle Rudolph, Minn. | 16 | 3.6 | 33.3 | .50 | 6.3 |
| 2015 | Julius Thomas, Jac. | 12 | 3.8 | 37.9 | .42 | 6.3 |
| 2017 | Jack Doyle, Ind. | 15 | 5.3 | 46.0 | .27 | 6.2 |
| 2015 | Eric Ebron, Det. | 14 | 3.4 | 38.4 | .36 | 6.0 |
| 2017 | Cameron Brate, T.B. | 16 | 3.0 | 36.9 | .38 | 5.9 |
| 2018 | Trey Burton, Chi. | 16 | 3.4 | 35.7 | .40 | 5.9 |
| 2018 | Greg Olsen, Car. | 9 | 3.0 | 32.3 | .44 | 5.9 |
| 2017 | Hunter Henry, LAC | 14 | 3.2 | 41.4 | .29 | 5.9 |
| 2017 | Tyler Kroft, Cin. | 14 | 2.9 | 28.5 | .50 | 5.9 |
| 2016 | Julius Thomas, Jac. | 9 | 3.3 | 31.2 | .44 | 5.8 |
| 2018 | Austin Hooper, Atl. | 16 | 4.4 | 41.3 | .27 | 5.7 |
| 2017 | Vernon Davis, Wash. | 10 | 3.1 | 39.4 | .30 | 5.7 |
| 2016 | Vance McDonald, S.F. | 11 | 2.2 | 35.5 | .36 | 5.7 |
| 2018 | Vance McDonald, Pitt. | 15 | 3.3 | 40.7 | .27 | 5.7 |
| 2017 | O.J. Howard, T.B. | 14 | 1.9 | 30.9 | .43 | 5.7 |
| 2015 | Martellus Bennett, Chi. | 11 | 4.8 | 39.9 | .27 | 5.6 |
| 2016 | Dwayne Allen, Ind. | 14 | 2.5 | 29.0 | .45 | 5.6 |
| 2015 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 4.8 | 44.6 | .19 | 5.6 |
| 2016 | Jack Doyle, Ind. | 16 | 3.7 | 36.5 | .31 | 5.5 |
| 2018 | David Njoku, Cle. | 16 | 3.5 | 39.9 | .25 | 5.5 |
| 2018 | Kyle Rudolph, Min. | 16 | 4.0 | 39.6 | .25 | 5.5 |
| 2016 | Coby Fleener, N.O. | 16 | 3.1 | 39.6 | .25 | 5.5 |
| 2015 | Ladarius Green, S.D. | 13 | 2.8 | 33.0 | .36 | 5.5 |
| 2015 | Charles Clay, Buff. | 13 | 3.9 | 40.6 | .23 | 5.4 |
| 2017 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 3.9 | 35.0 | .31 | 5.4 |
| 2016 | Jason Witten, Dall. | 16 | 4.3 | 42.1 | .19 | 5.3 |
| 2016 | C.J. Fiedorowicz, Hou. | 15 | 3.6 | 37.3 | .27 | 5.3 |
| 2016 | Dennis Pitta, Balt. | 16 | 5.4 | 45.6 | .13 | 5.3 |
| 2016 | Charles Clay, Buff. | 15 | 3.8 | 36.8 | .27 | 5.3 |
| 2015 | Zach Miller, Chi. | 14 | 2.4 | 31.4 | .36 | 5.3 |
| 2018 | Jordan Reed, Was. | 13 | 4.2 | 42.9 | .15 | 5.2 |
| 2017 | Charles Clay, Buff. | 13 | 3.8 | 42.9 | .15 | 5.2 |
| 2017 | Eric Ebron, Det. | 16 | 3.3 | 35.9 | .25 | 5.1 |
| 2017 | Jared Cook, Oak. | 16 | 3.4 | 43.0 | .13 | 5.1 |
Of course 2015 was five years and a slew of injuries (and concussions) ago. It's not for any of us to tell Reed what to do with his life. But speaking purely from a fantasy perspective, it's hard to justify taking a flier on him. And I think the vast majority of NFL teams will be unwilling to take a shot at signing him to a contract and putting him on the field.
As a side note, Washington should be viewed as a strong candidate to select a tight end early in the 2020 NFL Draft. Vernon Davis (also hurt most of last year) retired. Rostered tight ends for the team currently include Jeremy Sprinkle, Hale Hentges and Caleb Wilson. Hentges, a former undrafted free agent, is the potential flier from a dynasty perspective, having caught 6 passes for 90 yards and a touchdown the last two games last season. (Sprinkle started 13 games last year and averaged 2 catches in those contests.) But more realistically the team will be looking for a new starter in free agency and/or the draft.
--Andy Richardson