Even if you haven't been playing Fantasy Football for decades, you already know tight ends don't produce nearly as much as the other positions in the game, but it's pretty stark to see the best seasons by tight ends laid out next to the other positions.
For instance, Rob Gronkowski's massive 2011 season — the one where he caught 90 balls for 1,327 yards, and 18 total touchdowns — would just edge out Brandon Marshall's 2012 season for the 19th-best from a wide receiver since 1997. It would tie Priest Holmes' 2001 for the 43rd-best season by a running back. And remember that record-breaking 2018 tight end trio, Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz and George Kittle? Kelce's season (the third best by a TE!) wouldn't even be in the top 50 for a wide receiver; Ertz's record 116 catches would tie Jimmy Smith for 13th at wide receiver; 84 wide receivers have topped Kittle's record 1,377 receiving yards.
Of course, the paucity of elite options at tight end is also what makes those true standouts even more valuable. If you get a tight end who can give you No. 1 wide receiver production, it gives you a gigantic leg up on the competition.
Here are the best seasons by a tight end in the CBS Fantasy era.
1. Rob Gronkowski (2011) NE -- 330.9 PPR FPTs, 240.9 Non-PPR FPTs, 20.68 PPR FPTs/gm
90 rec, 1,327 yards, 18 total TD
2. Jimmy Graham (2013) NO -- 303.5 PPR FPTs, 217.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 18.97 PPR FPTs/gm
86 rec, 1,215 yards, 16 total TD
3. Travis Kelce (2018) KC -- 296.6 PPR FPTs, 193.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 18.54 PPR FPTs/gm
103 rec, 1,336 yards, 10 total TD
4. Jimmy Graham (2011) NO -- 296.0 PPR FPTs, 197.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 18.50 PPR FPTs/gm
99 rec, 1,310 yards, 11 total TD
5. Zach Ertz (2018) PHI -- 280.3 PPR FPTs, 164.3 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.52 PPR FPTs/gm
116 rec, 1,163 yards, 8 total TD
6. Dallas Clark (2009) IND -- 271.7 PPR FPTs, 171.7 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.98 PPR FPTs/gm
100 rec, 1,106 yards, 10 total TD
7. Tony Gonzalez (2004) KC -- 270.3 PPR FPTs, 168.3 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.89 PPR FPTs/gm
102 rec, 1,258 yards, 7 total TD
8. Tony Gonzalez (2000) KC -- 267.3 PPR FPTs, 174.3 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.71 PPR FPTs/gm
93 rec, 1,203 yards, 9 total TD
9. Rob Gronkowski (2014) NE -- 266.4 PPR FPTs, 184.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.76 PPR FPTs/gm
82 rec, 1,124 yards, 12 total TD
10. Tony Gonzalez (2008) KC -- 261.8 PPR FPTs, 165.8 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.36 PPR FPTs/gm
96 rec, 1,058 yards, 10 total TD
11. Antonio Gates (2005) SD -- 259.1 PPR FPTs, 170.1 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.27 PPR FPTs/gm
89 rec, 1,101 yards, 10 total TD
12. George Kittle (2018) SF -- 256.7 PPR FPTs, 168.7 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.04 PPR FPTs/gm
88 rec, 1,377 yards, 5 total TD
13. Travis Kelce (2019) KC -- 256.3 PPR FPTs, 159.3 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.02 PPR FPTs/gm
97 rec, 1,229 yards, 6 total TD
14. Rob Gronkowski (2015) NE -- 255.6 PPR FPTs, 183.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.04 PPR FPTs/gm
72 rec, 1,176 yards, 11 total TD
15. Antonio Gates (2004) SD -- 255.4 PPR FPTs, 174.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.03 PPR FPTs/gm
81 rec, 964 yards, 13 total TD
16. Jason Witten (2007) DAL -- 252.5 PPR FPTs, 156.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.78 PPR FPTs/gm
96 rec, 1,145 yards, 7 total TD
17. Vernon Davis (2009) SF -- 252.5 PPR FPTs, 174.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.78 PPR FPTs/gm
78 rec, 965 yards, 13 total TD
18. Jason Witten (2010) DAL -- 248.2 PPR FPTs, 154.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.51 PPR FPTs/gm
94 rec, 1,002 yards, 9 total TD
19. Jordan Reed (2015) WAS -- 248.2 PPR FPTs, 161.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 17.73 PPR FPTs/gm
87 rec, 952 yards, 11 total TD
20. Tony Gonzalez (2007) KC -- 246.2 PPR FPTs, 147.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.39 PPR FPTs/gm
99 rec, 1,172 yards, 5 total TD
21. Antonio Gates (2009) SD -- 242.7 PPR FPTs, 163.7 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.17 PPR FPTs/gm
79 rec, 1,157 yards, 8 total TD
22. Delanie Walker (2015) TEN -- 242.4 PPR FPTs, 148.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.16 PPR FPTs/gm
94 rec, 1,088 yards, 6 total TD
23. Gary Barnidge (2015) CLE -- 237.3 PPR FPTs, 158.3 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.83 PPR FPTs/gm
79 rec, 1,043 yards, 9 total TD
24. Jimmy Graham (2012) NO -- 237.2 PPR FPTs, 152.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.81 PPR FPTs/gm
85 rec, 982 yards, 9 total TD
25. Travis Kelce (2017) KC -- 235.5 PPR FPTs, 152.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.70 PPR FPTs/gm
83 rec, 1038 yards, 8 total TD
26. Tony Gonzalez (2012) ATL -- 234.0 PPR FPTs, 141.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.63 PPR FPTs/gm
93 rec, 930 yards, 8 total TD
27. Jimmy Graham (2014) NO -- 233.9 PPR FPTs, 148.9 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.62 PPR FPTs/gm
85 rec, 889 yards, 10 total TD
28. Jason Witten (2012) DAL -- 231.9 PPR FPTs, 121.9 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.49 PPR FPTs/gm
110 rec, 1,039 yards, 3 total TD
29. Greg Olsen (2015) CAR -- 229.4 PPR FPTs, 152.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.34 PPR FPTs/gm
77 rec, 1,104 yards, 7 total TD
30. Antonio Gates (2007) SD -- 227.4 PPR FPTs, 152.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.21 PPR FPTs/gm
75 rec, 984 yards, 9 total TD
31. Tony Gonzalez (1999) KC -- 226.9 PPR FPTs, 150.9 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.13 PPR FPTs/gm
76 rec, 849 yards, 11 total TD
32. Rob Gronkowski (2017) NE -- 225.4 PPR FPTs, 156.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 16.10 PPR FPTs/gm
69 rec, 1,084 yards, 8 total TD
33. Eric Ebron (2018) IND -- 224.2 PPR FPTs, 158.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.01 PPR FPTs/gm
66 rec, 750 yards, 14 total TD
34. Antonio Gates (2014) SD -- 223.1 PPR FPTs, 154.1 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.94 PPR FPTs/gm
69 rec, 821 yards, 12 total TD
35. Darren Waller (2019) OAK -- 223.0 PPR FPTs, 133.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.94 PPR FPTs/gm
90 rec, 1,145 yards, 3 total TD
36. Kellen Winslow (2007) CLE -- 222.6 PPR FPTs, 140.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.91 PPR FPTs/gm
82 rec, 1,106 yards, 5 total TD
37. Tony Gonzalez (2003) KAN -- 222.6 PPR FPTs, 151.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.91 PPR FPTs/gm
71 rec, 916 yards, 10 total TD
38. George Kittle (2019) SF -- 222.5 PPR FPTs, 137.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.89 PPR FPTs/gm
85 rec, 1,053 yards, 5 total TD
39. Brent Celek (2009) PHI - 221.1 PPR FPTs, 145.1 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.82 PPR FPTs/gm
76 rec, 971 yards, 8 total TD
40. Travis Kelce (2016) KC -- 221.0 PPR FPTs, 136.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.81 PPR FPTs/gm
85 rec, 1,125 yards, 4 total TD
41. Jason Witten (2004) DAL -- 221.0 PPR FPTs, 134.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.81 PPR FPTs/gm
87 rec, 980 yards, 6 total TD
42. Greg Olsen (2014) CAR - 220.8 PPR FPTs, 136.8 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.80 PPR FPTs/gm
84 rec, 1,008 yards, 6 total TD
43. Martellus Bennett (2014) CHI -- 217.6 PPR FPTs, 127.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.60 PPR FPTs/gm
90 rec, 916 yards, 6 total TD
44. Antonio Gates (2006) SD -- 217.4 PPR FPTs, 146.4 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.59 PPR FPTs/gm
71 rec, 924 yards, 9 total TD
45. Wesley Walls (1999) CAR - 217.2 PPR FPTs, 154.2 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.58 PPR FPTs/gm
63 rec, 822 yards, 12 total TD
46. Tony Gonzalez (2013) ATL -- 216.9 PPR FPTs, 133.9 Non-PPR FPTs, 13.56 PPR FPTs/gm
83 rec, 859 yards, 8 total TD
47. Aaron Hernandez (2011) NE -- 216.5 PPR FPTs, 137.5 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.46 PPR FPTs/gm
79 rec, 910 yards, 7 total TD
48. Julius Thomas (2013) DEN -- 215.8 PPR FPTs, 150.8 Non-PPR FPTs, 15.41 PPR FPTs/gm
65 rec, 788 yards, 12 total TD
49. Zach Ertz (2019) PHI -- 215.6 PPR FPTs, 127.6 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.37 PPR FPTs/gm
88 rec, 916 yards, 6 total TD
50. Vernon Davis (2013) SF -- 215.0 PPR FPTs, 163.0 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.33 PPR FPTs/gm
52 rec, 850 yards, 13 total TD
51. Jordan Cameron (2013) CLE -- 213.7 PPR FPTs, 133.7 Non-PPR FPTs, 14.25 PPR FPTs/gm
80 rec, 917 yards, 7 total TD