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

Best Coaches for Tight Ends

Most TE Room Targets

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE rooms average the most targets per game (career)

1. #Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy (10.31)
2. #Eagles HC Doug Pederson (10.10)
3. #Colts HC Frank Reich (9.81)
4. #Colts OC Nick Sirianni (9.59)
5. #Giants OC Jason Garrett (8.65)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 3, 2020

Most TE Room Receiving Yards

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE rooms average the most receiving yards per game (career)

1. #Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy (88.94)
2. #Eagles HC Doug Pederson (74.78)
3. #Colts HC Frank Reich (71.52)
4. #Colts OC Nick Sirianni (68.19)
5. #Giants OC Jason Garrett (63.84)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 3, 2020

Most TE Room Receiving TDs

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE Rooms average the most receiving TDs per game (career)

1. #Colts Nick Sirianni (0.84)
2. #Colts Frank Reich (0.72)
3. #Saints Pete Carmichael (0.63)
4T. #Eagles Doug Pederson (0.56)
4T. #Chiefs Eric Bieniemy (0.56)
4T. #Texans Tim Kelly (0.56)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 2, 2020

Highest % of Pass Attempts to TE

#NFL Coaches/Offensive Coordinators who give the highest % of their targets to TEs

1. #Eagles HC Doug Pederson (29.50%)
2. #Chiefs OC Eric Bieniemy (29.41%)
3. #Colts OC Nick Sirianni (27.39%)
4. #Colts HC Frank Reich (26.89%)
5. #Ravens OC Greg Roman (26.37%)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) August 30, 2020

Takeaways

• Chiefs Eric Bieniemy was in the top four of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to TE…he can thank Travis Kelce for that.
• Colts head coach Frank Reich and offensive coordinator Nick Sirianni also rank in the top four of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends…surprisingly all of the Colts tight ends are cheap in drafts this year and it’s likely one of Jack Doyle, Trey Burton, or Mo Alie-Cox will be a TE1.
• The Eagles head coach Doug Pederson ranks in the top four of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends. Zach Ertz should be a very safe TE investment and Dallas Goedert will flirt with TE1 status even as a backup (with huge upside if Ertz misses time).
• Andy Reid’s coaching tree apparently really likes to use the TE position.
• The new offensive coordinator of the New York Giants and long-time Dallas Cowboys head coach, Jason Garrett, ranked in the top five of tight-end room targets and tight-end room receiving yards…this gives Evan Engram a great chance to finally break out and he’s got the opportunity to join Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Zach Ertz as the cream of the crop at the position this year.
• Saints offensive coordinator Pete Carmichael ranked in the top 3 at TE room receiving touchdowns…Jared Cook will probably be a low-end TE1.
• Texans offensive coordinator Tim Kelly had his tight-end room rank among the best in receiving touchdowns per game. With star wideout DeAndre Hopkins out of town leaving more receiving work on the table for the team, Darren Fells may have a path to fantasy relevance.
• Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Greg Roman his given 26.37% of his total targets to tight-ends over his career… Mark Andrews is the safest TE investment outside of the big 3 (Travis Kelce, George Kittle, and Zach Ertz).

Worst Coaches for Tight Ends

Least TE Room Targets

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE rooms average the fewest targets per game (career)

1. #Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury (2.88)
2. #Dolphins OC Chan Gailey (3.47)
3. #Browns OC Alex Van Pelt (4.44)
4. #Rams OC Kevin O’Connell (4.56)
5. #Jets OC Dowell Loggains (4.88)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 3, 2020

Least TE Room Receiving Yards

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE rooms average the fewest receiving yards per game (career)

1. #Browns OC Alex Van Pelt (23.38)
2. #Dolphins OC Chan Gailey (23.69)
3. #Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury (27.69)
4. #Rams OC Kevin O’Connell (29.19)
5. #Jets OC Dowell Loggains (32.10)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 3, 2020

Least TE Room Receiving TDs

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators whose TE Rooms average the least receiving TDs per game (career)

1. #Browns OC Alex Van Pelt (0.06)
2. #Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury (0.13)
3. #Rams OC Kevin O’Connell (0.19)
4. #Buccaneers OC Byron Leftwich (0.20)
5. #Dolphins OC Chan Gailey (0.21)

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 2, 2020

Lowest % of Pass Attempts to TE

#NFL Coaches/Coordinators who give the lowest % of their targets to TEs

1. #Panthers HC Matt Rhule (7.79%)*
2. #Cardinals HC Kliff Kingsbury (8.70%)
3. #Dolphins OC Chan Gailey (11.21%)
4. #Panthers OC Joe Brady (14.08%)*
5. #Rams OC Kevin O’Connell (15.77%)

*Used college stats

— Eli G (@3li_handles) September 3, 2020

Takeaways

• Cardinals play-caller Kliff Kingsbury ranked at or near the bottom in TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends…safe to say do not roster a tight end in his offense.
• If Kliff Kingsbury’s ranking is slightly concerning, then Chan Gailey’s ranking is RED-ALERT concerning. Gailey ranks in the bottom five of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends, and he’s handled 224 games as an offensive coordinator or head coach. While Mike Gesicki is extremely talented, there are other talented tight-ends with an easier path to breaking out.
• Cleveland offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt ranked in the bottom seven of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends…good thing Kevin Stefanski is heavily involved in the offense or else we’d have to worry more about Austin Hooper‘s fantasy outlook.
• Joining Alex Van Pelt, Kliff Kingsbury, and Chan Gailey as the worst coaches for tight-ends is Rams offensive coordinator Kevin O’Connell who ranked in the bottom five of TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, TE room touchdowns, and % of pass attempts to tight ends. It should set fantasy players minds at ease more when they realize he only coached one season and that offensive mastermind Sean McVay will be the primary play-caller for the team. So you shouldn’t have any concerns about Tyler Higbee.
• Jets offensive coordinator Dowell Loggains is near the bottom of the league at TE room targets, TE room receiving yards, and % of pass attempts to tight ends. His low ranking combined with Adam Gase also only giving his TE room 16.74% of the targets makes me want no part of Chris Herndon this year.
• Tampa Bay Buccaneers offensive coordinator Byron Leftwich managed to be a unique name to crack one of these bottom-tier lists, ranking as the 4th worst coach in receiving touchdowns for tight-ends. Considering head coach Bruce Arians has historically also done a poor job of utilizing the position with only 16.54% of his targets going to his tight-ends. Because of this, I’m not too high on Rob Gronkowski this year.
• Panthers coaches Matt Rhule and Joe Brady did not utilize the TE position very much in their college careers, so don’t expect Ian Thomas to be fantasy relevant.