Better Than Average (BTA) was developed to show which players were truly better than their peers when the advantage of the schedule was removed. . This is a true 1:1 measurement because it only considers how well players did against all others who faced a particular defense. It counts up three occurrences:
“Top 8” – When a TE produced one of the top 8 game performances for fantasy points allowed by a defense.
“Top 4” – When a TE scored in the top 4 game performances for fantasy points allowed by a defense.
“#1” – Who had the best fantasy game against a defense over the past year. There could only by 32 such events since each defense can only allow one “best game”.
BTA – Simply adding up the 1, 4 and 8 values for a numerical expression of how effective a tight end truly was last year against all other players in his position. The strength of schedule doesn’t matter. Only what a player produced against all other players in that position against that defense. It is a measurement of player ability against the others in his position.
Most #1 Games | |
---|---|
Jimmy Graham | 3 |
Travis Kelce | 2 |
Greg Olsen | 2 |
Delanie Walker | 2 |
Cameron Brate | 2 |
Martellus Bennett | 2 |
Tyler Eifert | 2 |
Jack Doyle | 2 |
Interesting that as dominant as Kelce was down the stretch, he still only twice turned in the most tight end fantasy points that a defense allowed. The injury to Rob Gronkowski had an obvious effect but his health may be a continuing issue. Kyle Rudolph ended up nearly as good as anyone with eight different times that he managed a top four game against a defense and yet he only once had the most points that a team allowed. This position served up different players for the BTA measurement than what their overall season fantasy points were.
Tight Ends | BTA | #1 | Top 4 | Top 8 |
---|---|---|---|---|
Travis Kelce | 21 | 2 | 8 | 11 |
Jimmy Graham | 21 | 3 | 7 | 11 |
Kyle Rudolph | 20 | 1 | 8 | 11 |
Greg Olsen | 19 | 2 | 6 | 11 |
Delanie Walker | 18 | 2 | 6 | 10 |
Cameron Brate | 17 | 2 | 4 | 11 |
Martellus Bennett | 16 | 2 | 5 | 9 |
Eric Ebron | 13 | 1 | 3 | 9 |
Zach Ertz | 13 | 1 | 6 | 6 |
Jordan Reed | 13 | 0 | 5 | 8 |
Tyler Eifert | 11 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
Jack Doyle | 11 | 2 | 4 | 5 |
Antonio Gates | 11 | 1 | 3 | 7 |
Hunter Henry | 11 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
Dennis Pitta | 10 | 1 | 3 | 6 |
Jason Witten | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
Lance Kendricks | 10 | 0 | 4 | 6 |
Rob Gronkowski | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 |
Coby Fleener | 10 | 2 | 2 | 6 |
Charles Clay | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
Dwayne Allen | 9 | 1 | 4 | 4 |
Vance McDonald | 9 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
Vernon Davis | 9 | 0 | 3 | 6 |
C.J. Fiedorowicz | 8 | 0 | 3 | 5 |
Zach Miller | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
Gary Barnidge | 7 | 0 | 2 | 5 |
Ryan Griffin | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 |
Julius Thomas | 7 | 0 | 3 | 4 |
Dion Sims | 5 | 0 | 2 | 3 |
Austin Hooper | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Jacob Tamme | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
Jesse James | 4 | 0 | 1 | 3 |
Ladarius Green | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 |