The NFC South is famous for having three of the best quarterbacks in the league. The division is also stacked at several key skill positions. We’ve gone through quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers thus far, but ranking the NFC South’s top tight ends gave us some of toughest decisions yet. The division is loaded at the position.
After much consideration, here are our top five tight ends in the NFC South for 2019.
1. O.J. Howard – Buccaneers
2018 Stats: 10 games, 34 catches, 565 receiving yards, five touchdowns
Highly-touted coming out of the University of Alabama, O.J. Howard has a size and speed advantage over all other tight ends in the division, plus he’s a very solid blocker. Howard hasn’t quite produced Pro Bowl numbers but has made good progress in a two tight end system while splitting looks with Cameron Brate. Howard’s 16.6 yard per catch and 11 receiving touchdowns over two NFL seasons indicate he’s on pace to be one of the elites in the game. Based on the promise he’s shown despite working with Jameis Winston, we’re going to give the No. 1 spot to Howard over Austin Hooper by a hair.
2. Austin Hooper – Falcons
2018 Stats: 16 games, 71 catches, 660 receiving yards, four touchdowns
Hooper frustrated some fans in 2017 who were expecting a breakout year, but he put things together last season well enough to earn a Pro Bowl nod. He’s cleaned up the drops and considering his age (24) and current production level, it was a tough call not to put him on top. He’s just not quite the athlete that Howard is. But Hooper is progressing at a rapid rate and has a far better quarterback to pair with in Matt Ryan. It could be a big year for him as Dirk Koetter has utilized tight ends well in the past. The future is very bright for Hooper in Atlanta.
3. Greg Olsen – Panthers
2018 Stats: 9 games, 27 catches, 291 receiving yards, four touchdowns
When fully healthy, Olsen is easily the best tight end on this list. Unfortunately, injuries have become an issue over for him the past two seasons. Olsen missed seven games last year and nine in 2017 with a broken foot. Before that, he was probably the second-best tight end in the entire NFL behind Rob Gronkowski. Olsen topped least 800 receiving yards for five consecutive seasons — including three years with over 1,000 yards — before these past two injury-riddled seasons slowed him down. At 34, Olsen can still be an elite tight end if he plays a full year.
4. Cameron Brate – Buccaneers
2018 Stats: 16 games, 30 catches, 289 receiving yards, six touchdowns
Brate lost his starting job to Howard, but still had a big role for the Bucs in 2018, finishing with six receiving touchdowns, his third straight season with at least that many. Brate should continue to put up decent stats in Bruce Arians’ system, even if he continues to play second-fiddle to Howard. Tampa should consider itself very lucky to have both. Brate is a better tight end than a lot of teams’ No. 1 option.
5. Jared Cook – Saints
2018 Stats: 16 games, 68 catches, 896 receiving yards, six touchdowns
Drew Brees and the Saints haven’t had much to work with at tight end since they traded Jimmy Graham to the Seahawks. Signing Cook could turn that around. Most players fall off after they turn 30, but Cook had his best season yet in 2018 with the Raiders, posting career-best numbers in his 10th year in the league. Now just imagine what he could do teaming with Brees over Derek Carr.
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