TE Joel Dreessen, Denver Broncos

HT: 6-3, WT: 245, Born: 7-26-1982, College: Colorado State, Drafted: ---

2013 Projections

PPR Average draft position

Current as of May 6th. [Full PPR ADP list]

Overall: A Pettis (276), Joel Dreessen (278),
Position: Z Miller (270-TE31), D Walker (272-TE32), Joel Dreessen (278 - TE33),
Click here for a comparison of these players.

2013 Schedule

2012 Game Summaries

Week 1 - Many speculated at how the distribution of opportunities among Denver tight ends would play out. Early signs all point to Jacob Tamme being the clear #1 as Dreessen was a very small part of the offensive game plan. He’s a talented tight end, but his opportunities are limited with a player of Tamme’s caliber ahead of him.

Week 2 - Dreessen wasn't heavily involved in the offense in Atlanta, actually he wasn't really involved at all. The Broncos were focusing most of their attack through their wide receivers and Willis McGahee's hard running. Dreessen did make one impressive catch for give yards with a defender on his back.

Week 4 - Dreessen caught both targets on Sunday, but only one was of relevance. Racing down the seam on the Broncos’ opening drive, Dreessen made a tremendous catch on his 22-yard TD. Manning used play-action allowing Dreessen to get behind LB Phillip Weaver before dropping pass into the hands of the diving Dreessen. Later Manning would try a screen similar to his 30-yarder in week three against Houston, but Oakland read it well and knocked Dreessen for a five-yard loss. Like Tamme, Dreessen was all but none-existent in the 2nd half.

Week 5 - For the third straight week, Dreessen was a fantasy factor with a touchdown. After a great play-action fake at the goal line, Manning found Dreessen in the back of end zone for the score. Outside of that play, Dreessen had a couple non-descript short receptions as an outlet receiver within the offensive scheme.

Week 6 - Dreessen was involved early and often, tying for a game high six receptions and working the middle of the field all night long. The majority of his receptions weren’t gamebreakers, but he did allow a solid outlet for QB Peyton Manning to look towards when there was nothing on the outside. He was rarely (if ever) the primary target, but with very little attention being paid to him he managed to get enough action to turn in a serviceable performance.

Week 8 - Dreessen dropped his only target coming across the field as Roman Harper knocked the ball from his grasp.

Week 9 - Dreessen, once again, was very efficient with a limited number of targets and was a force in the red zone. When Denver was in the shadow of their own end zone, Dreessen came up big on a play-action pass, resulting in a huge gain at a much needed moment. Dreessen also caught yet another goal line touchdown. Manning had a rare rollout play design where Dreessen found an open area at the back line of the end zone. Denver regained the lead on the play and never looked back. While Dreessen is a risky play due to his low ceiling of targets on a weekly basis, he is a threat to score every game just like he did against Cincinnati.

Week 11 - Dreessen provided a reliable outlet for Manning, with nothing going for more than 11 yards but also tying for the team lead in catches with four. His best play was a short catch near the sideline where the defender tried drilling him out of bounds. Instead, Dreessen simply bounced off of the arm tackle attempt and kept moving forward to pick up the first down.

Week 12 - Dreessen was not very involved in the offense, and dropped one of his best opportunities wide open on a short cross. His two catches were both of the short variety and he was smothered immediately after the catch.

Week 13 - Dreessen didn’t register any catches, but received two targets with one drop on his first target. Blaming the sun, the pass hit Dreessen right on the hands, but he couldn’t control the ball and it fell incomplete. Later Dreessen was targeted in the end zone as he ran down the seam, but the throw looked more like a throwaway as it was nowhere near completion sailing well over his head.

Week 14 - Dreessen's first reception was a wide open pass underneath in the flat for five yards as Manning instantly checked down to him. Dreessen caught a six yard touchdown pass when Manning hit him on the numbers on a curl route in the front of the endzone. Dreessen's third catch came just six minutes into the game as he caught a pass over the middle for five yards before absorbing a strong hit. Before the end of the first quarter, Dreessen caught his fourth pass on a crossing route over the middle behind the linebacker in coverage. Dreessen caught another pass in the flat on second and four for three yards.

Week 15 - Joel Dreessen was the only Broncos tight end with a reception today. His highlight play came on a great catch and throw for 28 yards. Dreessen caught a ball with Ed Reed draped all over him in proper coverage. Kudos on the play to Peyton Manning as well for dropping a strike into a narrow window.

Week 16 - Dreessen was more active in the game plan than Jacob Tamme against Cleveland, but both tight ends took a back seat to the running game and the wide receivers. After short targets on his first three opportunities, Dreessen got a chance on an end zone target. It was uncatchable in the fourth quarter, which led to his underwhelming fantasy day. With Thomas and Decker both being big-bodied red zone targets, Dreessen’s opportunities can be hit-or-miss any given week. After a strong start to the season finding the end zone, Dreessen has just one score in his last seven games, spanning 18 receptions.

Week 17 - Dreessen reeled in two Peyton Manning passes for fifteen yards. He and Jacob Tamme functioned as tertiary passing-game options behind Eric Decker, Brandon Stokely, and Demaryius Thomas. Dreessen was the intended receiver on what would have been an interception had Chiefs linebacker Derrick Johnson been able to hold on to the ball. Manning targeted Dreessen in the end zone on first-and-goal during the Broncos’ last possession of the third quarter.


Week 19 - Dreessen was tied for the team-high in receptions against Baltimore, but was mainly a short-yardage target for Peyton Manning. He was utilized heavily on quick in-cuts and out routes. Early in the fourth quarter, Dreessen took a big hit, but held on to a comeback pass, that drew a defensive penalty.