It’s hard to objectively assess Dustin Keller and Jared Cook’s respective 2012 campaigns.
The Jets tight end had the regrettable luck of the unbelievable Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow quarterback experiment. Cook, meanwhile, endured shaky QB play of his own with Matt Hasselbeck and inconsistent second-year man Jake Locker.
Luckily, both talented pass-catchers find themselves in greener pastures with superior QBs under center.
Keller will receive passes from Ryan Tannehill on an up-and-coming Dolphins squad. Cook is the new No. 1 TE on the thoroughly stacked St. Louis Rams behind breakout star waiting-to-happen Sam Bradford (it had better).
How will both fare in the 2013 fantasy world? Let’s find out.
Dustin Keller, Miami Dolphins
Keller compiled his least productive year to date in 2012. Plagued by injuries for over half the season, he posted just 28 catches for 317 yards and two touchdowns. His 11.6-yard average per catch was also the second-lowest of his career.
Clearly hampered by injuries and an ineffective Sanchez, Keller totaled all of 43.70 fantasy points, ranking No. 36 overall.
He now has the rather fortunate luck of belonging to the Tannehill-led Dolphins. The second-year QB is set for a very productive 2013 with big-time weapons added over the offseason, not to mention another year developing under head coach Joe Philbin. One such weapon is most definitely Keller, and Tannehill will look to his new TE as a security blanket underneath.
The former Jet will notch a solid statistical campaign as a member of the Dolphins. We’d still be wary of drafting him as a legitimate TE1, but Keller could certainly develop into a late-round fantasy value.
Projected Statistics: 50 receptions, 600 yards, four touchdowns
Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams
The immediate question surrounding Cook is will the 6’5’’, 4.49-running tight end realize his immense potential.
To that end, Cook set a career-high with four touchdown catches last year. He also grabbed 44 passes for 523 yards. Injuries reduced his 2012 season to just 13 games, making his production a bit more impressive. Yet, even with a tumultuous quarterback situation, those numbers simply aren’t commensurate with Cook’s capabilities.
Moving forward, will that aforementioned “greener pasture” materialize on a Rams team already equipped with the likes of Tavon Austin, Chris Givens, Brian Quick and Zac Stacy? More importantly, what about incumbent tight end Lance Kendricks, who was the fourth-leading receiver for St. Louis in 2012?
It really is tough to say at this point. Austin will surely be Bradford’s do-it-all weapon, while Givens remains a genuine speed threat. And Kendricks has developed a decent rapport with Bradford after two years of playing together.
All that being said, Cook appears to be featured prominently in St. Louis’ offensive attack—the Rams invested five years and $35 million dollars in the guy. He has also thrived thus far in offseason workouts and has already supplanted Kendricks on the depth chart, due in part to an immediate go-to connection with Bradford, as well as his ability to play out wide.
Cook will bust out both on the gridiron and in the fantasy world come September. We apologize for generating any confusion—we simply had to play the role of devil’s advocate.
Projected Statistics: 55 receptions, 775 yards, seven touchdowns
The Verdict
Keller will serve up solid numbers. Cook, however, will be utilized in a variety of formations and will compete for the No. 2 offensive role for St. Louis. He’ll materialize as a legit TE1 option.
Dustin Keller: 90 fantasy points
Jared Cook: 120 fantasy points
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