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1. Antonio Gates Gates came out of nowhere a couple of years ago and simply tore the league apart. No one could figure out how to cover this big, strong, fast TE who seemed to have an incredible amount of savvy for someone fresh off the basketball court. Defenses key on him week after week, and he still gets open regularly. He also helps pave the way for LaDainian Tomlinson, the (in our opinion) best RB in the NFL, so even if hes not widely known for it, he can block as well. 2. Tony Gonzalez Gonzalez is widely credited with setting the mold for the new breed of TE in the NFL. Gonzalez was known not only for his football skills at Cal, but the whole country watched him play deep into the NCAA Tournament during the March before the draft. That incredible athleticism has served him well in the NFL, as he is a threat on every play to get deep. Hes also clever, as he seems to always get open in the red zone, and he doesnt have the luxury of having an elite WR corps to take attention away from him. Gonzalez is another underrated blocker, as Priest Holmes and Larry Johnson needed blocking help to put up their amazing numbers in recent years. 3. Alge Crumpler Crumpler is another TE without the benefit of great WRs, and he also serves as Michael Vicks security blanket. Crumpler is big and deceptively fast, as he always seems to be running loose down the seam. Hes got glue-like hands and has a wavelength with Vick that many great combinations have had in the past. Vick looks for Crumple every time hes in trouble, and Crumpler always seems to come through. Crumpler is another underrated blocker, as the fact that Atlanta annually boasts of one of the leagues best running attacks has something to do with his blocking as well as the talent around him. Crumpler may not be quite as heralded as the two TEs above him on this list, but hes well-worth the price of football tickets, as hes extremely consistent. 4. Todd Heap Heap is a threat on every play, and hes also been the biggest receiving threat on a team with mediocre WRs and an extremely unstable QB situation for most of his career. Heap tends to fly under the radar because of Baltimores overall offensive struggles, but every opposing defense understands who needs to be covered on every play. Even with all of these obstacles in place, Heap still caught 75 balls last year and scored seven touchdowns. If Steve McNair gets it going this year, Heap will no longer be overlooked - you can count on that. 5. Heath Miller Miller just came onto the scene last season, but watching him make such a major contribution towards Pittsburghs championship made many wonder how he slipped to the bottom of the first round. Miller is a good blocker, which is a requirement in Pittsburgh, but hes also elusive and incredibly athletic. The scariest part for opponents is that hes only going to get better. Miller, if he stays healthy, will be a terror for a long time. 6. Honorable Mention Jeremy Shockey could be on this list, but he seems to lack a bit of savvy and is a bit overrated. Hes got all the tools but hasnt yet put it all together. Chris Cooley emerged last year as well, but hes more of an H-back type and not necessarily a blocker. Jason Witten may never move football tickets by himself when players like Terrell Owens are on his team, but hes a typical good, solid Bill Parcells TE. |
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