Tight end: one of four onesie positions in fantasy football. With the term onesie, the term value becomes all that more important. With quarterbacks, tight ends, and defenses (let’s just leave out the “k” word), it’s crucial that you find the right value in your draft.
That means putting in the extra work, doing the research. Or, you could sit in front of this here screen and read the rest of this article, as I feed you some advice on what players I’m drafting to fill one of the onesie positions in my lineup: the tight end.

I’ll preface this article by saying that I do not prefer drafting a tight end in the early rounds. The only tight ends I will take in the first ten rounds are Jimmy Graham if he is available in the back-end of the second round, and Dennis Pitta if he’s still available for my seventh-round pick. Any earlier on Graham is crazy, as his current ADP leaves minimal upside for what you’re paying.
Of course, even those picks would depend on who else is on the board. Other than those two, I’ll wait until rounds 11 to 14 to grab a tight end. Enough strategy, let’s get into my five value picks, some of which I grab in the very late rounds of drafts. All average draft position (ADP) data is via FantasyFootballCalculator.com on July 17 in non-PPR, 12-team leagues.

5. Rob Housler, Arizona Cardinals

ADP: Undrafted       2012 Stats: 45 receptions, 417 yards, zero touchdowns

For starters, the Arizona Cardinals’ official website coined Housler as a potential breakout players for the Cardinals in 2013. It’s no surprise, as Housler showed some flashes of great speed and athleticism in a limited amount of chances last season. Housler caught 45 of 48 catchable passes in 2012, a drop rate of just 6.25 percent.

Carson Palmer will be the best quarterback that Housler has seen under-center in his short career with the Cardinals. Bruce Arians is also at the helm, and Arians loved Housler out of college when he was with the Steelers. With Larry Fitzgerald, a young Michael Floyd, and Andre Roberts, Housler could be poised for a big enough breakout (60-70 catches) to make him an every-week starter.

4. Dennis Pitta, Baltimore Ravens

ADP: 7.06      2012 Stats: 61 receptions, 669 yards, seven touchdowns

The Ravens ran the fifth-lowest two-tight-end sets in 2012 with Pitta and Ed Dickson. However, after trading slot receiver Anquan Boldin to the 49ers, the Ravens are now expected to run a two-tight-end offense more frequently, which will feature Pitta and Ed Dickson. Also, with Boldin gone, and Torrey Smith only an outside-the-hashes, go deep type of guy, Pitta should rule the middle of the field.

It’s worth noting that Pitta is on a contract year in 2013 and is coming off his best season of his short three-year career.  Expect Pitta to really take a big role in 2013 and don’t be shocked if he’s a top three tight end at the end of the year.

3. Dustin Keller, Miami Dolphins

ADP: Undrafted       2012 Stats: 28 receptions, 317 yards, two touchdowns

Keller is a player that I believe will gain traction before the start of the season, although he is being undrafted right now. Of course, you may not trust me, seeing that he fell off the map after a stellar 2011 in which he was trustable. However, the drop-off was not due to a lack of talent, but primarily to injury and the Jets’ notorious struggles to move the ball in 2012.

Now Keller is on a new team with a much better quarterback, with better weapons around him.  It’s also worth noting that Keller could become Tannehill’s go-to in the red zone. No.1 wide receiver Mike Wallace is a deep threat and has never posed a threat in the red zone, and Brian Hartline has just six career touchdowns over four seasons in the NFL and only one in 2012. Keller, if healthy, could be that red zone target that Tannehill needs. Some upside because we know his ceiling, and should be drafted as your TE2, so no risk taken.

2. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns

ADP: 12.11      2012 Stats: 20 receptions, 226 yards, one touchdown

Although I haven’t grabbed Cameron in all of my mocks, it’s fair to assume he will be on nearly every single re-draft team that I draft this year. The Browns have brought in a whole new regime after new ownership took over after last season. Rob Chudzinski, former Panthers offensive coordinator, is the new sheriff in town, and Norv Turner will play offensive coordinator. Why does this matter? Both coaches are known for their use of their tight ends, and both helped develop future Hall of Fame tight end Antonio Gates. They're kind of a big deal when it comes to tight ends.

Cameron is a natural athlete, a former basketball player who, although still young and learning, can move all over the field and is now set as the starter at tight end for the Browns. Cameron was thrown the ball “a lot” in the team’s organized team activities, and it appears than quarterback Brandon Weeden has really clicked with the tight end in practice. Expect Cameron to bust out under this new coaching regiment, especially if Weeden takes a step forward, which I expect him to in this new system with new coaches.

1. Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears

ADP: 12.08      2012 Stats: 55 receptions, 626 yards, five touchdowns

While Bennett showed a lot of what he could do in big blue last season, I guarantee that he still has a lot more left. His attitude and work ethic are on point on and off the field from everything we’ve see, he’s an above-average blocking tight end, and his size provides for serious mismatches for the defense. The Bears even called him one of the best “multidimensional” tight ends in the league, according to the Chicago Tribune.

But why will Bennett improve on 2012 when he has already appeared to have broken out? Simple answer: Jay Cutler. Believe it or not, Cutler loves his tight ends. 16 of his 55 touchdown passes has gone to tight ends over the last three seasons, according to ESPN, most of which were produced from the non-factors that are Matt Spaeth and Kellen Davis. He is going to me a big-time red zone target and a giant part of the new Marc Trestman offense in Chicago. At six-foot-six-inches, 270-pounds, you’ll be hearing a lot more about the Black Unicorn this season, no doubt about it.