Desmond Clark by Andy Hicks
On average Desmond Clark is being selected as the 24th TE. This is insane. Last year in his first year with the club he ranked in the mid teens in most leagues. With an anemic passing game and average running, things can only improve.

Clark finished in the top 10 receptions for TEs last year and would have ranked much higher overall with a couple more TDs. He previously has finished as high as 4th, when with the Shannon Sharpeless Broncos in 2001 he registered 51-566-6. Sharpe's return spelled the end of his days in Denver, and after getting injured and then being stuck behind Randy McMichael in 2002 at Miami, Clark found a good home in Chicago last year.

This year as a fantasy tight end he offers a potential return to top 10 glory entering the offensive system of Terry Shea. Unlike last year he should have a stable quarterback situation. The Bears also lack options in the short passing game. Both Thomas Jones and Anthony Thomas have proven to be average receivers at best and new fullback Bryan Johnson is nothing special either. Now that the Bears have moved Marty Booker, they also have no reliable receiver and this is where the upside potential of Desmond Clark becomes huge.

Even without the touchdowns, he offers reliability, having caught a pass in all of the 15 games he played. Add in just a few more touchdowns and he easily becomes a Top 10 Tight End. Clark is definitely capable of eclipsing his 2001 totals, but that is looking perhaps too optimistically at the situation.

Antonio Gates by Will Grant
If you don't know who Antonio Gates is, you probably only started gathering your fantasy information a few days ago. Gates is one of the worst kept secrets at TE in the entire league. He's on many of the 'value' lists found in fantasy magazines, and many people think of him as their 'sleeper' pick at TE. That being said, Gates ADP has remained relatively quite at 9.10, and he is a definite value pick at TE if you can land him in that range. Here's why.

In 2003, the #3 pass catcher after LaDainian Tomlinson and David Boston was Gates with 24 receptions for 389 yards and 2 TDs. Boston has departed for Miami, leaving huge question marks at WR for the Chargers with Kevin Dyson , Eric Parker , Tim Dwight and Kassim Osgood receiving equal abuse in most fantasy circles. Even if Tomlinson turns in another 100-reception performance in 2004, the Chargers are going to need a solid year from Gates if they hope to have any passing attack.

Another reason to consider Gates as your #1 TE is the uncertainty at QB for the Chargers. Drew Brees and Philip Rivers are not going to put up top 15 QB numbers this year. In fact, the passing attack will probably be very conservative, allowing them to build confidence and avoid a ton of mistakes. Gates will act as a nice safety valve for these young QBs, giving them a safe place to dump the ball if they are in trouble.

Gates has good size and soft hands, making him a great red zone target. As a rookie, he only posted 2 TDs, but that should increase if the San Diego offense can get close to the end zone. If you are a player who avoids taking a TE until later in the draft, you could really find yourself a nice pickup if Gates is still around.

L.J. Smith by Michael Brown
Smith struggled in '03, and his season was remembered more for what he didn't do than what he did. A costly drop cost Philadelphia a win, and that was his lasting impression. But following a tremendous offseason, Smith is ready to join the NFL's elite tight ends. What separates him from the others is Smith's incredible God-given talent. And, Smith has lost fat and added muscle during the offseason to go along with his wide receiver-type receiving skills and speed.

Not Gates?

Gates snuck up on people last year. He's had a fine offseason, and appears to have a lot of skill. But he's still somewhat raw, and with no one else to deflect pressure besides LT, coordinators now know Gates is coming.

Not Kleinsasser?

For the same reason as Gates, Kleinsasser took advantage of a tweak in the game plan to enjoy a second half surge. But Kleinsasser has the opposite problem from Gates in that Minnesota really doesn't need him to do well. They have plenty of options, and in fact have a few more than at this time last year with the addition of Marcus Robinson and development of Nate Burleson. Kleinsasser will have a tough time duplicating, let alone improving upon, his 2003 stats.

Not Graham?

Too much competition. If the Pats were so satisfied with Graham's performance, then why is Ben Watson in camp? And don't forget Christian Fauria. The Pats like to spread the ball around, so it's highly unlikely anyone (especially a time-sharing tight end) will produce huge numbers.

Not Clark?

This is the closest race in my opinion, between Clark and Smith. On the one hand, Clark has been given a few opportunities in his career and has never become the player many thought he would be. This is a big opportunity for him in Chicago with the new offense in place, but although he should improve his numbers, he has disappointed before. That's not to say L.J. Smith will be a guaranteed success, but when choosing between an underachiever and someone whose potential is endless, the choice is simple.