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Why we think Rob Gronkowski will be a top 10 Tight End this season.
FFB HUB Staff
With the first Sunday of the NFL season set to kick off tomorrow, excitement is certainly mounting for the first full day of the 2020 season. Of all the games this weekend, one of the most intriguing match ups is between two of the greatest quarterbacks in NFL History, and new division rivals, Drew Brees and Tom Brady. With Brady joining the Tampa Bay Buccaneers this season, the NFC South has some fire power at Quarterback with Brady, Brees and Matt Ryan. Carolina also added Teddy Bridgewater this year to take over for Cam Newton.
Tom Brady has no shortage of weapons at receiver with Chris Godwin and Mike Evans to throw to this season. Scotty Miller is also getting a lot of love as another receiving option for Brady. With the Jacksonville Jaguars letting go of Leonard Fournette, he became a nice addition to the Bucs backfield joining Ronald Jones. The biggest addition for the Bucs this offseason (outside of Brady) is Brady’s old buddy from New England, Rob Gronkowski.
Gronkowski joins O.J. Howard and Cameron Brate, forming one of the deepest tight end pools in the NFL. The Philadelphia Eagles are the other NFL Team with deep tight end options in Zach Ertz and Dallas Goedert.
The Bucs seem to have everything going for them right now. But one thing seems to be missing. Where is the love for Gronk? If you ask Tampa Bay fans, no doubt they have Gronk as a top 10 Tight End this season. Patriots fans that aren’t bitter about Brady and Gronk taking their talents to Tampa probably do too. But what about everyone else? We conducted a Twitter poll to get people’s thoughts on Gronk’s Top 10 potential this season:
It wasn’t even close. Almost 75% of participants felt that Gronkowski will not be a top 10 Tight End this season. But why? Sure, there are some things going against him this season. He did take off a full year from football after announcing his retirement and he spent a lot of time hosting beach parties. He had a big task this off season of getting his body back to playing shape for 2020. And yes, he also has been plagued by injuries in the past that have cut his seasons short. But should that stop him from top 10 status this season? We don’t think so. Having a full season to rest up and heal up could have actually been the best thing to happen to Gronk.
Even if Evans is able to play tomorrow, Gronk should be a big target for Brady early and often. It is tough to kick old habits, and having Gronk to throw to, is a habit that Brady won’t kick anytime soon. Even with the Bucs using two tight end sets, it is going to be tough for Brady not to utilize Gronk consistently. Instinct will kick in for Brady when he sees Gronk running over the middle of the field. Gronk needs to eat, and Brady is going to make sure to feed him. Tomorrow’s game should be a shootout with the Saints, and we think Gronk will have a big game tomorrow.
Gronkowski didn’t come out of retirement if he wasn’t going to be a huge piece of Brady’s offense. Gronk came to play, and as long as he can stay healthy, he is going to be a huge piece of the Buccaneers offense. Based on Gronk’s ADP, he could be a huge steal for individuals that drafted him this season. If Gronk didn’t take off the 2019 season, we believe that he still would have been included in the top 5 tight end conversation for 2020 fantasy draft rankings. He would have been a Tier 1 tight end and drafted as a top 5 tight end along with Travis Kelce, George Kittle, Mark Andrews and Darren Waller. In 2018 following a great year where he had over 1000 receiving yards, Gronkowski was the number one Tight End according to the consensus rankings from Fantasy Pros, and his average ADP was #21 overall. Even though he only played 13 regular season games in 2018, his 682 receiving yards would have placed him as #9 for Tight Ends in receiving yards in 2019.
Time will tell, but we are looking forward to seeing the Brady to Gronk connection this season. Pending injury, (which will always be the big if), we believe that not only will Gronk be a top 10 Tight End this season, but he may even be a top 5 tight end when the dust settles at the end of the season.
Brees vs. Brady takes place tomorrow at 4:25 p.m. EST in New Orleans.