GLENDALE, AZ – SEPTEMBER 11: Tight end Greg Olsen #88 of the Carolina Panthers runs with the football against the Arizona Cardinals during the NFL season opening game at the University of Phoenix Stadium on September 11, 2011 in Glendale, Arizona. The Carindals defeated the Panthers 28-21. (Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife)
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Plenty of Aaron Hernandez owners are searching for a replacement for their star Tight End, and they should look no further than Greg Olsen. With Jeremy Shockey gone, Olsen should see no shortage of targets as Cam Newton’s second favorite target. Ron Rivera thinks he is the next Rob Gronkowsi, and while we’re not quite ready to put him at that level, he should be a great replacement. You can expect Olsen to take Jeremy Shockey’s production and merge it into his own. That’s over 1,000 yards from your Tight End, which is close to elite production from that position.
Plenty of fantasy owners were writing Olsen off as a sleeper following his extremely dissapointing 1 catch game against the horrible Saints Defense. That should end after a big game against the Giants Defense. Despite a relatively poor passing game from Cam Newton, Greg Olsen has 7 catches for 98 yards. You may use the poor Giants secondary as the quick answer, but with further research you realize that the Giants actually shut down the Tight End well. This was a legit fantasy performance by a legit fantasy Tight End.
In the second half of last year, Defenses started shutting down the Newton to Smith deep connection. With the Defenses focusing so much on Smith stretching the field, Olsen could end up as the go to option in the Panthers passing game. Even with two great Running Backs on the same team, the Panthers are still mostly a passing team with Newton at Quarterback. To get a guy who is a top two option on a passing offense off the waiver wire is a steal. Don’t wait until people realize he’s a breakout talent, pick him up now.
Since Aaron Hernandez owners are trying to decide between a few Tight Ends, they may be choosing between Dennis Pitta, Mertilus Bennett, and Greg Olsen. It’s very close and both have their own positives, but I would order them Olsen, Bennett, and Pitta. Olsen and Pitta should get a similar amount of targets, but I expect Olsen to do much more with those targets. In addition, Pitta could always lose some targets to Ed Dickson. Olsen doesn’t have any other Tight End to compete with anymore. Bennett is looking like the preferred red zone option of Eli Manning, but I don’t see him continuing to contribute as much as the other two inbetween the twenties.
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