There are a few reasons why tight ends may not have the same fluctuation in Madden rank game by game that the other positions do. Nearly every tight end has to balance duties between blocking and running routes. Tight ends usually have less targets, receptions, and yards compared to the WR1 on each team.
Making a key block or seal does not show up on the stat sheets, but great blockers make a huge impact. It is also a fair assumption that EA do not have an analyst that watches every player on every play. Tight Ends have to rack up catches, yards, and touchdowns to be noticed. This list will include ten tight ends that realized their undervalued potential in 2020.
10 Jonnu Smith 75-80
Smith had a career year in 2020. The fourth year tight end surpassed career highs in receptions, yards, and touchdowns. After a solid showing in 2019, Smith continued the momentum into 2020. He became one of Tannehill's favorite targets in the red zone, scoring eight touchdowns through the air and one on the ground. Smith's prior personal record for touchdowns in a season was just 3. The FIU grad is now on his way to New England to play with Cam and the Patriots.
9 Dan Arnold 66-71
While Arnold is on his way out after signing two-year deal in Arizona, he stepped up at a crucial time when the team needed a pass catcher on the line. His best performance against the Rams was a two touchdown effort, which sparked a rating increase. Arnold's consistent performance throughout the year warranted a 71 rating.
8 Mike Gesicki 79-85
Geisicki made big strides in his third year as a Dolphin. He had more receptions, yards, and touchdowns than in 2019. The Penn State star has been steadily improving year by year, cementing him as the number one tight end on the depth chart. As a seasoned starter that continues to improve, a +6 upgrade is fair for the player. Geisicki is one of the many benefactors of Miami's success in 2020.
7 T.J. Hockenson 77-84
After an average rookie campaign, Hockenson had an amazing year in 2020. The Detroit tight end was named to his first Pro Bowl after catching 67 passes for over 700 yards. Hockenson gets the "Lions share" of touches on the team, with Hunter Bryant only playing limited minutes. Matt Stafford loves to throw to big targets, so expect the two to combine for even more yards next season.
6 Dalton Schultz 67-74
Once Jason Witten retired, Schultz was able to get mixed into the Dallas starting lineup. Because Jarwin was having a mediocre year, Schultz could to show off his skills and earn more playing time for the Cowboys.
Schultz is now higher rated than Jarwin, and looks to take over an even larger share of the reps. After being drafted all the way at 137 in 2018, Schultz finally scored his first touchdown in 2020.
5 Darren Waller 85-93
In his third year with the Raiders, Waller had his second 1,000 yard season and set new personal highs for receptions, yards, and touchdowns. Waller's career got off to a slow start in Baltimore, but he is thriving with the now Las Vegas Raiders. He has a great chemistry with Derek Carr and continues to improve his game each season. Only Travis Kelce, one of the best receivers in the game at the position, had more yards in 2020.
4 Noah Fant 74-82
Denver had a rough season last year to say the least. One of the few positives that came from the 2020 season was Fant's consistency and reliability as a TE1. While he may have scored the same number of touchdownsas 2019, Fant netted 20 more receptions and had 100 more receiving yards.
If there was more consistency from Locke, Fant may have been able to approach the 1,000 yard mark. The Broncos certainly have a good piece in Fant at the position. His play on the field resulted in an eight point rating bump.
3 Mo Alie-Cox 66-75
Alie-Cox had not played football since he was 15 years old when he signed with the Colts in 2017. The former VCU basketball standout was injured in his first year, and had limited playing time until 2020. His best performance of the 2020 season came against the Vikings, where he recorded a 100+ yard game on five receptions. Alie-Cox steadily worked his way into the rotation and had a solid year after waiting almost four years for significant playing time.
2 Logan Thomas 64-77
Thomas spent three years as a starting quarterback at Virginia Tech before being picked up late in the 2014 draft. The former quarterback bounced around the league until he decided to change positions to tight end two years later.
With a 6'6" frame, the move made sense for Thomas, who had failed to find a place on an NFL roster as a quarterback. In 2020, due to Washington's shortage of pass catchers and off the field distractions, Thomas finally got the chance to make an impact. At 29 years of age, Thomas was able to score 6 touchdowns and net 72 receptions for nearly 700 yards.
1 Robert Tonyan 62-80
The Packers' explosive offense scored a lot of touchdowns in 2020, and Tonyan was responsible for 11 of them. No other tight end in the league had more than ten touchdowns last year. The third year player had only 10 receptions in 2019 for just 100 yards. In 2020, Tonyan managed to total 52 receptions for nearly 600 yards, quite the return on investment for the Packers. Tonyan started his career on a three year $553k deal in 2017, and saw his first significant playing time at the age of 27. His impressive rise last season makes Tonyan the biggest upgrade at tight end in Madden 21.