Rob Gronkowski is generally viewed as the top tight end in fantasy football, but who is the second best player at the position, Greg Olsen of the Carolina Panthers or Jordan Reed of the Washington Redskins?
Both players are deserving of the praise that they receive, and selecting one over the other isn’t an easy task. That being said, it’s a decision that will have to be made by a large amount of fantasy owners on draft day, so let’s look at their numbers, supporting casts, and career histories to find the stronger option for the 2016 season.
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2015 was extremely generous to the pair of pass-catchers, as they both enjoyed their strongest seasons as professionals. Olsen was a safety blanket for Cam Newton, recording 77 receptions for 1,104 yards and seven touchdowns. Reed played a similar role for Kirk Cousins, hauling in 87 passes for 952 yards and 11 touchdowns.
Reed beat out the Carolina veteran in two of the three aforementioned categories, with 10 more catches and four more touchdowns on the year. However, Olsen did manage to gain more receiving yards, and did so by averaging 14.34 yards per reception, about three more yards than Reed averaged at 11.25 yards per catch.
Another factor to consider when choosing a pass-catcher is their catch percentages. Olsen caught an impressive 69 percent of the passes thrown his way, but Washington’s 25-year-old tight end outdid him, catching 76.3 percent of his targets.
Now that we know what the players are capable of in terms of statistics, it’s time to look into the players that accompany them on the offensive side of the ball.
Jordan Reed is surrounded with an abundance of talent, but will likely remain the team’s top target in the passing game. Greg Olsen, on the other hand, is going to have a hard time duplicating his strong season from a year ago, as the team will be getting Kelvin Benjamin back from injury.
During his rookie season with the Panthers, Benjamin emerged as a reliable weapon for Newton. He caught 73 passes for 1,008 yards and nine touchdowns on the year, and was set to build upon his strong rookie campaign in 2015, but went down with a season ending injury. I fully expect him to return to form this season, which, to me, is concerning if you’re looking to add Olsen to your roster.
The last major factor to take into consideration when selecting a player for your fantasy team is their ability to stay healthy and active. This is a category that Olsen has a huge advantage in, as Reed has struggled to stay on the field during his time in the league.
He has yet to play a full season for the Redskins, only appearing in 34 out of 48 contests in his three year career. Olsen, however, has been an absolute iron man since entering the league, missing only two games in nine years.
Reed’s injury history is concerning, and it’s definitely something to consider if you plan on drafting him. Having said that, I believe that he has a higher upside than Olsen. His athleticism and route running ability put him in a class of his own when it comes to tight ends.
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And while I believe that the Washington tight end has a greater upside, Olsen is probably the safer option out of the two. Personally, I’m willing to take a risk when it comes to fantasy football, so I’m going with Reed. I completely understand that some people would prefer the consistency that Olsen has to offer, but it’s hard for me to ignore Reed and his incredible potential.