Tight Ends (6)
Tony Gonzalez, Shannon Sharpe.
Modern Positional Average
Tight Ends: Tony Gonzalez (2019), Shannon Sharpe (2011).
Please note that there are only two Tight Ends who have been inducted in the last two decades and we will base the average only on these two players. This should change in the next five years.
Here are the statistics that we are using based on the last group of Tight Ends to enter the Pro Football Hall of Fame:
- Games Played: 237
- Approximate Value: 126.5
- Approximate Value per Games Played: 0.5295
- Games Started: 211.5
- Approximate Value per Games Started: 0.5981
- Approximate Value per Five-Year Peak: 51.5
- Approximate Value’s Best Five Results: 53.5
- Pro Bowls: 11
- First Team All-Pros*: 5
- Receiving Yards: 12,593.5
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak: 4,885
- Top Five Receiving Yards Finish: 0
- Receiving Touchdowns: 86.5
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak: 35
- Top Five Receiving Touchdown Finishes**: 2.5
- Receptions: 1,025
- Receptions Five-Year Peak: 384
- Top Five Receptions**: 3.5
- Super Bowl Wins 1.5
- Super Bowl Appearances 1.5
*This is an aggregate of the Top Five finishes (5th = 1, 4th = 2, 3rd = 3, 2nd = 4th, 1st = 5)
**This is a reminder that the All-Pros we use are from the AP.
Stats
- Games 237
- Approximate Value 126.5
- Approximate Value per Game 0.5295
- Games Started 211.5
- Approximate Value per Games Started 0.5981
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 51.5
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 53.5
- Pro Bowls 11
- First Team AP All-Pros 5
- Receiving Yards 12593.5
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 4885
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 0
- Receiving Touchdowns 86.5
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 35
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 2.5
- Receptions 1025
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 384
- Top Five Aggregated Receptions Finishes 3.5
- Super Bowl Championships 1.5
- Super Bowl Appearances 1.5
#5 Overall, Travis Kelce: Kansas City Chiefs, #1 Tight End
2023 Pre-Season Rank #7, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #12, 2021 Pre-Season Rank: #20, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #37. Peak Period: 2018-22
Travis Kelce's performance is exceptional, especially when compared to the only two legends in the Modern Positional Average statistics, Shannon Sharpe & Tony Gonzalez. Despite this daunting comparison, Kelce has not only measured up but surpassed expectations. In the 2010s, he was the number two Tight End behind Rob Gronkowski, and now, he stands as the top man at his position among active players. It's not an exaggeration to say that he is the most recognized man in football.
Dating Taylor Swift will do that.
This man is a rock star of an athlete, but even if he was a mute, Kelce has the numbers of a Hall of Fame Tight End: over 11,000 Yards and 74 Touchdowns, a nine-year Pro Bowl streak, and four First Team All-Pros. Throw in three Super Bowls, and you have a man making a first-ballot Hall of Fame case and someone looking at the Mount Rushmore of Tight Ends.
Kelce might be declining, but not in popularity.
Stats
- Games 159 (-78)
- Approximate Value 108 (-18.5)
- Approximate Value per Game 0.6792 (+0.1497)
- Games Started 152 (-59.5)
- Approximate Value per Games Started 0.7105 (+0.1124)
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 61 (+9.5)
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 71 (+17.5)
- Pro Bowls 9 (-2)
- First Team AP All-Pros 4 (-1)
- Receiving Yards 11328 (-1265.5)
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 6444 (+1559)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 6 (+6)
- Receiving Touchdowns 74 (-12.5)
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 47 (+12)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 5 (+2.5)
- Receptions 907 (-118)
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 507 (+123)
- Top Five Aggregated Receptions Finishes 4 (+0.5)
- Super Bowl Championships 3 (+1.5)
- Super Bowl Appearances 4 (+2.5)
#36 Overall, Jimmy Graham: Free Agent, #2 Tight End
2023 Pre-Season Rank #31, 2023 Pre-Season Rank #40, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #41, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #46. Peak Period: 2011-15
Is it the end of the road for Jimmy Graham? At one point, it looked like he was Hall of Fame-bound, and he looked like the game's top Tight End when he was in his first run in New Orleans, but that seems like a lifetime ago. Overall, Graham's AV/G is low; he did not make the 10,000 Yard mark (and won't), but his 89 Touchdown Passes are sparkling, and when his name comes up for consideration, this should be one of the first things they look at.
Stats
- Games 197 (-40)
- Approximate Value 75 (-51.5)
- Approximate Value per Game 0.3807 (-0.1488)
- Games Started 134 (-77.5)
- Approximate Value per Games Started 0.5555 (-0.0426)
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 46 (-5.5)
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 48 (-5.5)
- Pro Bowls 5 (-6)
- First Team AP All-Pros 1 (-4)
- Receiving Yards 8545 (-4048.5)
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 5001 (+116)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 0
- Receiving Touchdowns 89 (+2.5)
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 48 (+13)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 11 (+8.5)
- Receptions 719 (-306)
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 403 (+19)
- Top Five Aggregated Receptions Finishes 3 (-0.5)
- Super Bowl Championships 0 (-1.5)
- Super Bowl Appearances 0 (-1.5)
#42 Overall, George Kittle, San Francisco 49ers, #3 Tight End
2023 Pre-Season Rank #59, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #74, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #86, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #93. Peak Period: 2018-19/2021-23
George Kittle is over the AV/G for Tight Ends, but six years does not a Hall of Fame career make. It is safe to say that behind Travis Kelce,Kittle is regarded as the game's number two Tight End over the last few years, and second bnana to a crrent superstar like Kelce is not bad. If the Niners win a Super Bowl, and Kittle can somehow supplant Kelce as the top TE in football (which could happen this year), it would go a long way for any potential Hall of Fame induction. He has it in him to do it.
Stats
- Games 98 (-139)
- Approximate Value 57 (-69.5)
- Approximate Value per Game 0.5816 (+0.0521)
- Games Started 90 (-121.5)
- Approximate Value per Games Started 0.6333 (+0.0352)
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 48 (-3.5)
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 48 (-5.5)
- Pro Bowls 5 (-6)
- First Team AP All-Pros 2 (-3)
- Receiving Yards 6274 (-6319.5)
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 5125 (+240)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 0
- Receiving Touchdowns 37 (-49.5)
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 33 (-2)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 3 (+0.5)
- Receptions 460 (-565)
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 412 (+28)
- Super Bowl Championships 0 (-1.5)
- Super Bowl Appearances 2 (+0.5)
#96 Overall, Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens, #4 Tight End
2023: Pre-Season Rank: #123. Peak Period: 2019-23
Andrews has emerged as one of the top receiving Tight Ends in the 2020s, having been a First Team All-Pro in 2021 and securing three Pro Bowls in his six years of NFL service. Last year, Andrews suffered an injury that derailed his season, but a healthy Andrews in 2024 could be named to his second First Team All-Pro and help anchor the Ravens to a Super Bowl.
Stats
- Games 87 (-150)
- Approximate Value 48 (-78.5)
- Approximate Value per Game 0.5517 (+0.0222)
- Games Started 42 (-169.5)
- Approximate Value per Games Started 1.1429 (+0.5448)
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 42 (-9.5)
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 42 (-11.5)
- Pro Bowls 3 (-8)
- First Team AP All-Pros 1 (-4)
- Receiving Yards 4857 (-7736.5)
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 4305 (-580)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 0
- Receiving Touchdowns 40 (-46.5)
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 37 (+2)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 3 (+0.5)
- Receptions 381 (-644)
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 347 (-37)
- Top Five Aggregated Receptions Finishes 0 (-3.5)
- Super Bowl Championships 0 (-1.5)
- Super Bowl Appearances 0 (-1.5)
#105 Overall, Zach Ertz, Washington Commanders, #5 Tight End
2023 Pre-Season Rank #99, 2022 Pre-Season Rank #103, 2021 Pre-Season Rank #119, 2020 Pre-Season Rank #106.
Zach Ertz joins the Washington Commanders this year after his lowest season of productivity (187 RY/1 TD) in Arizona. Ertz had a great run earlier in his career with the Philadelphia Eagles, where he went to three straight Pro Bowls, but that was a long time ago.
The Hall is looking out of his reach, but he did win a Super Bowl with the Eagles, and their Hall looks like a nice fit for the Tight End.
Stats
- Games 151 (-86)
- Approximate Value 62 (-64.5)
- Approximate Value per Game 0.4106 (-0.1189)
- Games Started 113 (-98.5)
- Approximate Value per Games Started 0.5487 (-0.0494)
- Approximate Value: Five-Year Peak 37 (-14.5)
- Approximate Value: Best Five Years 39 (-14.5)
- Pro Bowls 3 (-8)
- First Team AP All-Pros 0 (-5)
- Receiving Yards 7434 (-5159.5)
- Receiving Yards Five-Year Peak 4572 (-313)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Yards Finishes 0
- Receiving Touchdowns 46 (-40.5)
- Receiving Touchdowns Five-Year Peak 28 (-7)
- Top Five Aggregated Receiving Touchdowns Finishes 0 (-2.5)
- Receptions 709 (-316)
- Receptions Five-Year Peak 431 (+47)
- Super Bowl Championships 1 (-0.5)
- Super Bowl Appearances 1 (-0.5)