Coaching Time: 2021 Best And Worst Play-Callers For Each Skill-Position

Eli Grabanski looks at every offensive-minded head coach and offensive coordinator, and explains which ones could have a significant impact on fantasy value.

Eli Grabanski
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Tight Ends

Best Coaches for Tight Ends

 

Rank TE Room Receptions TE Room Targets TE Room Receiving Yards TE Room Receiving TDs
% of Pass Attempts to TE
1 (Best) Eric Bieniemy – KC OC Eric Bieniemy – KC OC Eric Bieniemy – KC OC Nick Sirianni – PHI HC
Eric Bieniemy – KC OC
2 Frank Reich – IND HC Frank Reich – IND HC Frank Reich – IND HC Frank Reich – IND HC
Arthur Smith – ATL HC
3 Jason Garrett – NYG OC Nick Sirianni – PHI HC Nick Sirianni – PHI HC Pete Carmichael – NOR OC
Greg Roman – BAL OC
4 Nick Sirianni.- PHI HC Jason Garrett – NYG OC Kyle Shanahan – SF HC Eric Bieniemy – KC OC
Frank Reich – IND HC
5 Sean McVay – LAR HC Pat Shurmur – DEN OC Jason Garrett – NYG OC Arthur Smith – ATL HC
Jason Garrett – NYG OC

 

Most TE Room Receptions

 

 

Most TE Room Targets

 

 

Most TE Room Receiving Yards

 

 

Most TE Room Receiving TDs

 

 

Highest % of Pass Attempts to TE

 

Takeaways

 

  • While he’s not the Kansas City Chiefs’ primary offensive play-caller, Eric Bieniemy ranks in the top five across the board at the tight end position – he can thank star tight end Travis Kelce for that.
  • Despite not always having great talent at the tight end position, Indianapolis Colts head coach Frank Reich ranks in the top five across the board in tight end utilization and production…rookie tight end Kylen Granson has a bright future ahead in this offense and is worth monitoring alongside Mo Alie-Cox & Jack Doyle.

 

  • New York Giants offensive coordinator Jason Garrett ranks in the top five in TE room receptions, TE targets, TE receiving yards, and % of passing attempts to the TE position…while he burned many last year, Evan Engram has more upside than most TEs in this offense.
  • Philadelphia Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni ranks in the top five in TE receptions, TE targets, TE receiving yards, and TE receiving touchdowns per game…Dallas Goedert and Zach Ertz are going to be put in situations to succeed here.

 

  • Los Angeles Rams head coach Sean McVay ranks in the top five in TE receptions per game. With Gerald Everett gone, Tyler Higbee has some post-hype sleeper potential in 2021 if he can see a majority of the receiving work.
  • Denver Broncos offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur ranks in the top five in TE targets per game…Noah Fant has real breakout potential in year three and Albert Okwuegbunam could be a decent pickup if Fant misses time at any point in 2021.

 

  • The San Francisco 49ers’ tight ends are in good hands in Kyle Shanahan‘s offense, with Shanahan ranking in the top five in TE receiving yards…George Kittle will feast as usual.
  • While he’s not the primary play-caller in New Orleans, Pete Carmichael‘s inclusion in the top five of TE receiving touchdowns per game is an encouraging sign for Adam Trautman‘s fantasy potential.

 

  • If you are planning on rostering Kyle Pitts, you are going to love seeing Arthur Smith‘s name land in the top five of these lists in TE receiving touchdowns and % of passing attempts to TE. No guarantee he becomes a top-tier TE in year one given the success rate of rookie tight ends historically, but I would be making a major effort to acquire Pitts in keeper/dynasty leagues.
  • The Baltimore Ravens’ tight ends are in a pretty good spot with Greg Roman calling the plays. Mark Andrews should be a safe TE1 once again.

 

Worst Coaches for Tight Ends

 

Rank TE Room Receptions TE Room Targets TE Room Receiving Yards TE Room Receiving TDs
% of Pass Attempts to TE
1 (Worst) Eric Studesville – MIA Co-OC Matt Rhule – CAR HC
Joe Brady – CAR OC		 Matt Rhule – CAR HC
Joe Brady – CAR OC		 Eric Studesville – MIA Co-OC
Matt Rhule – CAR HC
Joe Brady – CAR OC
2 Matt Rhule – CAR HC

Joe Brady – CAR OC

 Eric Studesville – MIA Co-OC Eric Studesville – MIA Co-OC Todd Downing – TEN OC
Matt Rhule – CAR HC
Joe Brady – CAR OC
Kliff Kingsbury – AZ HC
3 Kliff Kingsbury – AZ HC Kliff Kingsbury – AZ HC Dan Campbell – DET HC (See Above)
Eric Studesville – MIA Co-OC
4 Brian Daboll – BUF OC Brian Daboll – BUF OC Joe Lombardi – LAC OC Zac Taylor – CIN HC
Joe Lombardi – LAC OC
5 Joe Lombardi – LAC OC Joe Lombardi – LAC OC Kliff Kingsbury – AZ HC Brian Callahan – CIN OC
Brian Callahan – CIN OC

 

Least TE Room Receptions

 

 

Least TE Room Targets

 

 

Least TE Room Receiving Yards

 

 

Least TE Room Receiving TDs

 

 

Lowest % of Pass Attempts to TE

 

Takeaways

 

  • Miami Dolphins co-offensive coordinator Eric Studesville lands on every bottom five lists for tight ends. Take this with a grain of salt since he only has four games on his resumé as an offensive coordinator/head coach and it’s no guarantee he calls plays for the Dolphins since George Godsey is also a co-offensive coordinator for the team.
  • Panthers coaches Matt Rhule & Joe Brady didn’t utilize their tight ends very much last year as they rank bottom five across the board. There are better late-round lottery ticket tight ends than Dan Arnold for 2021.

 

  • Arizona Cardinals head coach Kliff Kingsbury doesn’t really utilize his tight ends much, ranking in the bottom five in TE receptions, TE targets, TE receiving yards, and % of passing attempts to TE…it makes sense why Maxx Williams and company aren’t typically being drafted in fantasy leagues.
  • Buffalo Bills offensive coordinator Brian Daboll is bottom five in TE receptions and TE targets…you can probably do better than Dawson Knox in the late rounds.

 

  • The Chargers’ tight ends don’t have a lot of upside in Joe Lombardi‘s offense, as Lombardi ranks in the bottom five in TE receptions, TE targets, TE receiving yards, and % of passing attempts to TEs…this will impact Jared Cook and Donald Parham Jr.
  • Detroit Lions head coach Dan Campbell lands in the bottom five for TE receiving yards, but this shouldn’t worry you much about T.J. Hockenson since Anthony Lynn will be the team’s primary offensive play-caller and Campbell only has 12 games as an interim head coach for this data.

 

  • The Tennessee Titans have a new offensive coordinator this year in Todd Downing, and he’s not nearly as TE friendly as Arthur Smith was as Downing ranks in the bottom five in TE receiving touchdowns per game…Anthony Firkser is probably not going to break out this year.
  • The Bengals head coach Zac Taylor lands in the bottom five in TE receiving touchdowns per game and their offensive coordinator Brian Callahan lands in the bottom five for TE receiving touchdowns per game and % of passing attempts to the TE position…don’t use your late-round lottery ticket picks on C.J. Uzomah or Drew Sample.

 

Photo by Kevin Reece/Icon Sportswire | Adapted by Ethan Kaplan (@DJFreddie10 on Twitter and @EthanMKaplanImages on Instagram)

Series Navigation
Introduction
Quarterbacks
Running Backs
Wide Receivers
Tight Ends

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