The Facts: Two years ago, Rudolph proclaimed himself the best tight end in the NFL. He still feels that way. "Absolutely," said Rudolph, entering his sixth season with the Vikings. "Route running and catching balls, to many, is all that matters. But it's also (about) being one of the best blockers, one of the best pass protectors."

Diehards Line: Rudolph’s name doesn’t come up much in discussions about the NFL’s top tight ends. The biggest reason is this: He had just 49 receptions for 495 yards last season. The tight ends you hear about are the ones with big receiving numbers: Rob Gronkowski, Jason Witten, Antonio Gates and Jimmy Graham. Rudolph stresses it’s about more than that. “The world revolves around fantasy football,” Rudolph lamented. “That’s just the nature of sports right now, and that’s just the way it is. ...” Worth noting, Rudolph had three games late last season with six or more catches. Now, he and Teddy Bridgewater are looking to build on their chemistry. But until we see some actual signs of it, fantasy owners should continue to look elsewhere.