Fantasy Football Insider: Who could be the Top Fantasy Tight Ends in 2011?

The tight end position can be a productive one and a frustrating one when it comes to fantasy football. One weekend your top tight end can have a great game and in another he can all but disappear. There are some NFL teams that utilize their tights ends in the passing game often (and have specialize pass catching tight ends as well as blocking tight ends) while other teams don’t use the tight end much for passing but more for blocking.

Before you go ahead and select a tight end in your fantasy drafts the tight end much for passing but more for blocking.

Before you go ahead and select a tight end in your fantasy drafts you must be sure that the tight end will be used often on offense because you don’t want to waste that spot on someone that won’t produce.

Remember that tight ends can be big assets to your team if you can find the right one.

Let’s take a look at five tight ends (in no particular order) that fantasy owners should be looking at in their fantasy drafts late this summer.

1. Jason Witten-Dallas Cowboys-The Cowboys have had a lot of success throwing the ball to Witten and he has been very productive in his career with the Cowboys. He has been injured from time to time and has missed some time but he will be a very valuable and sought after tight end in fantasy football.

2. Antonio Gates-San Diego Chargers-Gates has been one of the most productive tight ends in the NFL since coming into the league and has another good season or two in him before he either starts to decline. Fantasy football owners will also hope that he can stay healthy and give them a full season.

3. Dallas Clark-Indianapolis Colts-Speaking of staying healthy, the perpetually injured Clark does remain one of the top tight ends in the NFL. Fantasy football owners will take a chance on him this year and assume that he will be able to stay healthy and if he can he will go back to being a prime target for quarterback Peyton Manning.

4. Tony Gonzalez-Atlanta Falcons-Gonzalez may be in his the twilight of his career but he’s still very useful as pass catcher and may have a good season as the Falcons try to get to and win the Super Bowl. He’s going to be a primary option at tight end in most fantasy football drafts and will have another good season.

5. Chris Cooley-Washington Redskins-Depending on Washington’s quarterback situation next season, Cooley may be a hot commodity to some fantasy owners and could easily be one of the first tight ends taken. Like some of the other guys on this list, Cooley has had his fair share of injuries in the past but could have a productive season next year.

Are there any rookie tight ends that could be looked at as fantasy draft prospects? This 2011 NFL Draft’s tight end class was viewed by many experts as being pretty weak and the first tight end selected, Notre Dame’s Kyle Rudolph, wasn’t even drafted until the second round (by the Minnesota Vikings) and he may be the only rookie tight end that get’s a look in fantasy drafts this summer?