Fantasy Football: Tight End Green Will Shine

If I had to describe Ladarius Green in on word it would be this: tease. Can the tight end live up to his enormous talent now that he’s moved to the Steel City?

Oct 25, 2015; San Diego, CA, USA; San Diego Chargers tight end Ladarius Green (89) scores a touchdown as Oakland Raiders cornerback D.J. Hayden (25) defends during the fourth quarter at Qualcomm Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jake Roth-USA TODAY Sports /

Over the last three seasons, there have been glimpses and moments where Ladarius Green would make a play and it would force a series of questions.

“Wait, was that Antonio Gates?”

“How big is that guy? Is he really that fast?”

Unfortunately, he’s never been able to make those type of plays on a consistent basis but that has not been his fault. Due to the situation in San Diego, he has been stuck behind the seemingly never-aging Antonio Gates.

Gates, who is arguably the second-best tight end in NFL history behind Tony Gonzalez, has been average 855 receiving yards and 8.5 touchdowns over the last 12 seasons. His 104 touchdown receptions ranks seventh all-time and if he scores eight touchdowns in 2016, he’ll surpass Tony Gonzalez and become the NFL all-time tight end leader in touchdown receptions.

Now that Green is with the Pittsburgh Steelers where Ben Roethlisberger is throwing the ball and Todd Haley is running the offense, he is on the verge of stardom.

The Numbers: Green Athletically

Green measures in at 6’6″. That is one inch taller than former tight end Heath Miller and six inches taller than 2015 Pro Bowl TE Delanie Walker of the Tennessee Titans.

At the 2012 NFL Combine, Green ran a 4.53 40-time. Over the last five NFL combines, Green’s 40-time is the fourth-fastest among tight ends during that span. Heath Miller ran a 4.87 coming into the league. Green’s 40-time was faster than RB Le’veon Bell (4.60) and Seattle Seahawks TE Jimmy Graham (4.56).

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Green’s 10’4 broad jump at the NFL Combine is tied for the fifth best among tight ends since 2012.

The Numbers: Green On the Field in 2015

In 2013 and 2014, Antonio Gates played in every single game during the regular season but missed time this past season.

Gates was suspended for the first four games of the season due to violating the league’s PED policy and also missed Week 7 due to a MCL injury. However, Green also missed Week 3 with a concussion. These were the only four games since 2013 where Green played and Gates did not during the regular season.

In these four games, Green amassed 18 catches, 219 yards and 3 touchdowns. Based off this sample size of four games, Green was on pace to average 72 receptions, 876 yards and 12 touchdowns if Gates missed the entire season.

At that rate, his 72 receptions would have tied him for eighth-most among tight ends in receptions (with Rob Gronkowski and Travis Kelce).

At that rate, his 876 receiving yards would have had him finish sixth-best in receiving yards among tight ends (right behind Jordan Reed and right ahead of Travis Kelce).

At that rate, his 12 touchdown receptions would have had him finish second-best in touchdown receptions among tight ends (right behind Tyler Eifert and right ahead of Rob Gronkowski).

The Numbers: Todd Haley and the Offense

The most important part of this equation might be offensive coordinator Todd Haley. Since he took over the offense in 2012, the Steelers identity has taken a complete transformation. They went from a ground-and-pound offense to an offense that relies heavily on the passing game.

Since 2012, the passing offense has finished 14th, 12th, 2nd and then 4th in 2015. The Steelers had never had a passing offense finish inside the top-nine in Ben Roethlisberger’s career before 2014. Since then, they finished inside the top-five, twice.

GREEN BAY, WI – OCTOBER 18: Ladarius Green /

Since 2012, Ben Roethlisberger passing attempts per game has increased from 34.5, 36.5, 38.0 and 39.1 in 2015. In fact, in each of the last four seasons Big Ben has set a new career high in passing attempts per game every season.

If Big Ben throws the ball on average 39 times per game in 2016 and Green can see just seven targets per game (18% of the passing attempts) that would give him 112 for the season. To give you an idea, Rob Gronkowski, the #1 Fantasy Football Tight End in 2015, Saw 120 targets last season.

The Numbers: Haley and Heath Miller

Since 2012, tight end Heath Miller averaged 64 receptions, 676 receiving yards, 3.5 touchdowns in the Steelers offense under Todd Haley. The previous seven seasons, he averaged 48 receptions, 552 yards and 4.4 touchdowns.

Since 2012, Miller averaged 87 targets a season. The previous seven years, he averaged 68 targets a season.

In Miller’s first season with Haley in 2012, he set career highs in receiving yards (812), receiving touchdowns (8) and targets (101).

In 2015, Miller was thrown at 81 times in 15 games – 5.4 targets per game. Even though that does not look like a lot, consider this: Cincinnati’s Tyler Eifert who finished sixth among tight ends in standard scoring fantasy football averaged 5.7 targets per game.

Kansas City’s Travis Kelce, who finished seventh among tight ends in standard scoring fantasy football, averaged 6.4 targets per game.

Look for that targets per game number to rise with Green as the new starter.

Outlook

The Steelers only made one key addition to their offensive weapons during the offseason and that was Green. However, they lost two important pieces in Heath Miller (retirement) and Martavis Bryant (suspension).

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Between the two, they lost 110 receptions, 1,300 receiving yards and 8 touchdowns from a season ago.

It’s been awhile since the Steelers have had a physical specimen at tight end similar to Green. The speed, athleticism and the run after the catch abilities from the tight end position is an entirely new dynamic to the recent Steelers offenses.

Green can line up in the slot (something Miller hardly ever did) or as a traditional inline tight end. Despite his calling-card as an athletic tight end, he isn’t a slouch when it comes to blocking in the running game. That ability should keep him on the field for a vast majority of the offensive snaps.

If I’m the Steelers, I’m taking a page out of the New England Patriots playbook and lining him up wide as a receiver near the goal-line like they do with Gronk. Green one-on-one with a CB or LB for a possible jump ball or quick slant is a matchup you would want all day. At the very worst, it’ll spread the defense out and open the field up for players like Antonio Brown and Le’Veon Bell.

Prediction

Green is younger, more athletic and dynamic than Miller ever was when Haley took over the Steelers offense. People expect second-year WR Sammie Coates to pick up the slack with Martavis Bryant out for 2016 but it’ll be Green who has the ability to line up in the slot, who will benefit most.

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Miller’s final four year average of 64-676-3.5 and 87 targets should be the floor for Green’s projected 2016 season.

Predicted stat-line: 76 receptions, 855 receiving yards and 6 touchdowns.

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Fantasy Football: Steelers Ladarius Green Ready to Shine

By Dan Thomas | May 27, 2016

If I had to describe Ladarius Green in on word it would be this: tease. Can the tight end live up to his enormous talent now that he’s moved to the Steel City?