Faceoff - Who is the Bills Top TE?

Posted 7/29, exclusive to Footballguys.com

Derek Schouman - by Chris Smith

First of all, let me state that I firmly believe you should be looking elsewhere for your starting fantasy tight end in 2009. In fact, I believe you should be looking elsewhere for your backup fantasy tight end in 2009. The Bills will be throwing the ball to Terrell Owens and Lee Evans most of the time this season and the running backs are good enough in the passing game that they also will be involved more than the tight end position will. That said, I believe the tight end who has the best chance at putting up some decent statistics in 2009 is Derek Schouman, the most experienced of the possible starters.

Reasons to believe Schouman will be the most effective TE in Buffalo

1. Most experienced TE on roster: Schouman has had the most experience of any of the Bills tight ends. He played in all sixteen games last season, caught 15 of the 20 passes thrown his way and caught a touchdown.
2. Nice blend of size and quickness: Schouman isn't a huge tight end but at 6'2 and 235 pounds he is a nice target across the middle. He has the ability to find holes in the defense and make some nice moves to get open.
3. Shawn Nelson likely not ready to step in as starter yet: Perhaps the most talented TE on roster is Nelson who was drafted from Southern Miss. However he is probably not ready to step onto the field as a starter yet and needs at least one year of seasoning first
4. Derek Fine had his first professional action last season and finished with 10 receptions and a touchdown. He will compete with the other two players but appears to be behind Schouman in terms of receiving ability.

Last Word

As I already stated, there are plenty of better options for all but the largest fantasy leagues when it comes to the tight end position. However if you are in 18+ team leagues or start 2 TE leagues, then perhaps you will need to figure out which Bills tight end is the best option. While it is very tight, experience will likely emerge from this trio and that gives the nod to Schouman. Once again, I strongly encourage caution when it comes to drafting a Bills tight end in 2009 as none of the possible candidates will have many targets or receptions.

Shawn Nelson - by Jeff Tefertiller

Shawn Nelson is one of the more athletically gifted tight ends to enter the NFL in a while. In fact, he could be one of the most athletic players at the position, even as a rookie. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound tight end is very fast and explosive with the ball in his hands. At the NFL Combine, he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.56 seconds, which is faster than many of wide receivers. He fits well with the new type of tight end (i.e. Dustin Keller, Greg Olsen, etc) that is more of a receiving threat than a true multi-faceted tight end. Nelson is a willing blocker but is undersized and will need to bulk up to be effective against NFL defensive linemen. He will likely be lined up in the slot, in motion, or split wide. The Bills will look to exploit mismatches as Nelson's speed and play-making ability will create havoc on opposing defenses.

With Dick Jauron as the head coach, Buffalo has not used the tight end position much in the passing game. The Bills have tight ends who can stay in and block, but none offer the offensive ability of Nelson. The Bills will use him in obvious passing situations. An article on BuffaloBills.com said as much.

And the Bills plan to use Nelson as such in his first season, which is why Nelson is spending more time learning the intricacies of Buffalo's passing game from a position out wide, rather than on the line. "Basically my role is to come in and help this team in the passing game," said Nelson. "That's why I'm working with the receivers while the other tight ends are working on their pass protection and their different formations. We decided I would work with receivers and work on stems and plants and stuff like that and learn a couple of routes." Therefore it's unlikely that Nelson becomes a finalist for the starting tight end role, which encompasses far more responsibility than being split out in the slot or wider to catch passes. Buffalo's coaching staff is going to take it a step at time realizing the best way Nelson can help them now is as a mismatch in the passing game.

Most tight ends that enter the NFL need an extended period of time to transition to the NFL game. Blocking professional defensive linemen, reading defenses, and knowing the "hot" reads are difficult for many young tight ends. But, Nelson should be more prepared than most. He benefited from having veteran NFL tight end Kris Mangum as his position coach at Southern Mississippi. Mangum was a productive tight end for the Carolina Panthers and has valuable insight to pass along.

The Bills do not use the tight end much, so the question of which Bills tight end to grab might be a moot point. But, Nelson is the only one that has the talent to be a Top 10 tight end. Rookies at the position rarely do much, especially early in the season. The one thing to note is that Nelson is a player that can make plays. The team will want him on the field as much as possible.