News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope had one catch for 13 yards Saturday against Oakland in Week 16. He had one target in the game.
Analysis: Pope has minimal Fantasy value in the majority of leagues. Ignore him in all formats in Week 17 at Denver.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope finished the Week 15 win over the Packers as Kansas City's leading receiver. Pope caught two passes from QB Kyle Orton for a team-high 72 yards in the contest. Pope's longest reception went for 39 yards. He was only targeted two times in the game.
Analysis: Pope is a tight end on the roster for the Chiefs. That said, Kansas City doesn't often use the tight end consistently in the offense. Pope's best Fantasy effort of the season was Week 3 at San Diego when he caught three passes for 32 yards and a TD. Pope has no Fantasy value heading into Week 16 against Oakland. He did not have a catch in the first game against the Raiders Week 7.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope was once agin not much of a factor in Week 11 against the Patriots. Pope finished with three receptions for 26 yards in the 34-3 defeat.
Analysis: Pope has now caught three passes in each of his last two contests, but is still being used more as a blocking option. Unless he sees a major increase in targets over the next few weeks, he can continue to be ignored in the majority of formats moving forward.
News: Kansas City TE Leonard Pope had three catches for 18 yards Sunday against Denver in Week 10. Pope had five targets in the game.
Analysis: Pope is a low-end Fantasy TE in the majority of leagues and is not worth using in most formats. Ignore him in Week 11 at New England.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope was not much of a factor in Week 8 against the Chargers. Pope hauled in just one reception in the 23-20 win, which went for 11 yards. It was his only target in the contest.
Analysis: Pope became the team's No.1 TE when Tony Moeaki was lost for the season, but the 28-year-old has yet to make much of an impact. He has caught just four passes for 23 yards over his last four contests and has been unable to find the end zone over that stretch. Kansas City usually doesn't involve Pope a ton in their passing packages, so leave him on the waiver wire in most formats heading into Week 9 against Miami.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope will be looking to make more of an impact on offense in Week 8 against the Chargers. Pope, who has hauled in 11 passes for 77 yards and a touchdown this season, failed to register a catch for the first time all year in last week's win over the Raiders. San Diego enters Monday night's contest ranked third in pass defense, allowing 175.7 yards per game. The Chargers have surrendered 10m touchdowns through the air and are allowing an average of 8.7 Fantasy points to opposing TEs on the season.
Analysis: Pope became the team's No.1 TE when Tony Moeaki was lost for the season, but the 28-year-old has yet to make much of an impact. His most productive game of the season actually came the last time he played the Chargers, as he racked up three catches for 32 yards and a score in the 20-17 loss. Kansas City usually doesn't involve Pope a ton in their passing packages, so consider him a low-end No. 2 Fantasy TE in Week 8.
News: Kansas City TE Leonard Pope caught a 1-yard touchdown pass from Matt Cassel on Sunday in the fourth quarter. He was also penalized for taking his helmet off after making the score. Pope was targeted three times on the day, catching all three passes for 32 yards. His efforts wouldn't be enough though as the Chiefs lost to the Chargers, 20-17.
Analysis: Pope had a nice day receiving, but it is obvious the Chiefs still have some work to do offensively. Kansas City hosts Minnesota in Week 4, a team that is allowing 318.7 receiving yards per contest. While Pope and the Chiefs have a favorable matchup, he's still only a low-end TE option, best left on the bench.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope had a 19-yard touchdown taken away from him in the second quarter Week 1 against the Bills after the play was overturned following a challenge from the officials. The refs ruled that Pope didn't get two feet down when he caught the touchdown. Pope ended up with three catches for 24 yards. He was targeted six times in the game.
Analysis: Pope has moved into the starting lineup with Tony Moeaki out for the season. He almost made his impact felt in Week 1, but at the end of the day he still had a Leonard Pope kind of day. We aren't expecting a lot out of Pope in 2011, so he continues to have marginal Fantasy appeal. The Chiefs play the Lions in Week 2.
News: The Chiefs initial depth chart for 2011 was issued Tuesday and there are no surprises among the starters. With TE Tony Moeaki out for the season, Leonard Pope moves into the starting lineup.
Analysis: Pope has primarily been a run-blocking TE in his career. He has just 78 catches for 726 yards and eight touchdowns in 71 career games. Pope is probably not going to be more than a bye-week Fantasy replacement and can be left unowned in most Fantasy formats.
News: The Chiefs announced on Friday that they re-signed TE Leonard Pope. The terms of the deal were undisclosed. Pope caught just 10 passes last season despite playing in all 16 games, though he snagged a pair of touchdowns in the process.
Analysis: Pope has never been much of a Fantasy commodity in his career, and he figures to sit behind Tony Moeaki once again in 2011. Unless he somehow vaunts himself to the top of the pecking order, Pope is not worth selecting on Draft Day in any Fantasy format. He has never hauled in more than 23 passes in a season.
News: For the second game in three weeks, Chiefs TE Leonard Pope scored a touchdown, this time in a win over the Rams in Week 15. As with his Week 13 score against the Broncos, his end zone reception was his only catch of the game. In both cases, he scored from two yards out.
Analysis: Pope is not one of the Chiefs' major targets, but he has had the good fortune of having his number called near the end zone two times in recent weeks. While that has made him more productive than many Fantasy TEs, he is still a very low-end option who should be left on waivers in nearly all formats.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope played well Sunday against Denver. Pope had one catch for 2 yards, but he scored a touchdown. The touchdown catch was his first of the season, and he became the eighth player this season to catch a scoring pass from QB Matt Cassel. It was Pope's only target in the game.
Analysis: Pope is the No. 2 TE for the Chiefs behind rookie Tony Moeaki and has minimal Fantasy value. Ignore Pope in all leagues in Week 14 at San Diego. Pope had no catches in the Week 1 matchup with the Chargers.
News: With TE Tony Moeaki ruled out for Week 11 against the Cardinals because of a concussion, expect veteran TE Leonard Pope to start in his absence. Pope has just six catches for 64 yards in nine games. The Cardinals are allowing TEs to average 7.3 Fantasy points per week. The Cardinals have allowed five touchdowns to TEs.
Analysis: Pope has just 74 catches for 714 yards in 64 career games. He has always been more of a blocking presence on offense. Even with Moeaki sidelined we aren't expecting a big performance from Pope. Look to other options in Fantasy before settling on Pope.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope didn't do much in Week 10 against the Broncos. Pope was targeted twice in the 49-29 loss and finished with two receptions for 21 yards in the loss. He had a long of 13 yards.
Analysis: Pope is the the backup TE behind Tony Moeaki and is not a major contributor to the Chiefs' passing game. He has just six receptions for 64 yards on the season and can be ignored in all Fantasy formats heading into Week 11.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope caught a pair of passes for 20 yards in a 13-10 overtime win over Buffalo in Week 8. It was the first time this season that Pope caught more than one pass in a game.
Analysis: This was Pope's third start of the year, but he is not a major contributor to the Chiefs' passing game. He can be ignored in all Fantasy formats.
News: The official team website of the Chiefs reports that rookie TE Tony Moeaki is having a good offseason. The Chiefs traded up to grab Moeaki at the close of the third round in the NFL Draft. Moeaki reported to rookie minicamp and immediately showed why the Chiefs chose to move up to select him, but then he missed time due to injury. When he returned, Moeaki showed, according to the report, "that he has the both the best hands and the most ability to create mismatches among the players in his position group." Coach Todd Haley was impressed as Moeaki is competing with Leonard Pope and Brad Cottam for the starting job. "Tony, much like what has me encouraged with all of these young guys, there is not one of them that has been put in a different class than any of the others, and he is right in that group," Haley said. "Of all these young guys, they have a good look; they all have ability there is no doubt about that. They have a good demeanor about them and a quiet confidence. They have been able to overcome setbacks without too much hoopla and I think those are good signs."
Analysis: Moaeki has the most upside of the tight ends in Kansas City since Cottam struggled in 2009 and Pope is a mediocre veteran. We'd like to see Moeaki win the starting job and prove that his hands are as good as advertised. Keep an eye on the TE battle in training camp, and the winner, at best, would be worth a late-round pick in deep leagues. Moeaki can be drafted with a mid-round pick in rookie-only leagues.
News: The Kansas City Star reports the Chiefs are trying to find a starting TE this year between Leonard Pope, Brad Cottam and rookie Tony Moeaki. Coach Todd Haley called the tight ends a "critical" group to the offense's growth and for QB Matt Cassel to have enough targets. But Cottam is still recovering from neck surgery, after he fractured a vertebra during a game against Cleveland last December. Moeaki, a third-round pick, has an undisclosed injury that has kept him out of recent team drills. Cottam said he's uncertain when he might return to football activities. He said he wore a collar to stabilize his neck until just before Kansas City began activities last month. Haley has said that Moeaki's injury isn't serious. But the Chiefs drafted Moeaki having known his history at the University of Iowa. The tight end is athletic and talented enough to imagine the possibilities, but a list of past injuries has held him back, then and now. The injuries could allow Pope to start this year.
Analysis: Pope might end up starting with the other two tight ends injured, but don't plan on drafting him in the majority of leagues. Even if he's the starter for Week 1 he has minimal Fantasy value in all formats.
News: Kansas City TE Leonard Pope made one catch for 29 yards on Sunday in a Week 17 win at Denver.
Analysis: Pope typically doesn't produce enough stats to warrant Fantasy use. Keep him off rosters on Draft Day in 2010.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope caught one 7-yard pass in a Week 16 loss to Cincinnati.
Analysis: Pope typically doesn't produce enough stats to warrant Fantasy use in the first place. Keep him off rosters in Week 17 at Denver.
News: In the Chiefs' Week 15 loss vs. the Browns, TE Leonard Pope caught three passes for 23 yards. He also dropped a touchdown pass.
Analysis: Pope typically doesn't produce enough stats to warrant Fantasy use in the first place. Keep him off rosters.
News: Kansas City TE Leonard Pope saw a nice increase in action in the Week 14 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Pope saw most of his action come later in the game and finished with four catches for 45 yards in the game. His long grab went for 16 yards.
Analysis: Pope has seen a bit more production of late but still nothing worth thinking about in Fantasy play. Leave him on waivers in Week 15 against Cleveland.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope made two catches for 28 yards in a Week 13 loss to Denver.
Analysis: Pope is not a relevant Fantasy option and should not be active in any format for Week 14 vs. Buffalo.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope had a poor showing on Sunday in a Week 12 loss to the Chargers. He mustered only one reception, losing 3 yards on the play.
Analysis: Pope is not a relevant Fantasy option and should not be active in any format for Week 13 against the Broncos.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope caught two passes for 26 yards and a touchdown in Week 11 against Pittsburgh. It was his first touchdown of the season.
Analysis: Pope has just one game this season with more than two catches and he is not targeted enough in the offense to use in Fantasy leagues. Despite his touchdown, leave him unowned.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope caught three passes on Sunday in a Week 10 win over the Raiders, gaining a total of 11 yards.
Analysis: Pope will get a reception here and there, but is not a consistent enough contributor to be relied upon outside of the very deepest of Fantasy formats.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope had one catch for five yards in Week 9 at Jacksonville. He was thrown to one time in the game.
Analysis: Pope has just three catches this season and has not had multiple catches in a game. Fantasy owners should not start him in any league.
News:Brodie Croyle, Mike Cox, Leonard Pope and Mark Bradley did not have an offensive statistic in Week 7 against San Diego.
Analysis: None of the players listed have any Fantasy appeal. Leave them on waivers in all leagues until further notice.
News: Kansas City TE Leonard Pope made one catch for 5 yards Week 6 in a win at Washington.
Analysis: Pope now has two catches for 13 yards in three games this season. He too infrequently matters in the passing game for anyone to have on Fantasy rosters. Keep him on waivers for Week 7 against the Chargers.
News: Chiefs TE Leonard Pope caught a pass for 8 yards vs. the Cowboys in Week 5.
Analysis: Pope barely posts enough stats to warrant Fantasy use. Keep him off of Fantasy rosters. The Chiefs play at the Redskins in Week 6.
News: Chiefs QB Brodie Croyle, TE Leonard Pope and WR Terrence Copper were the only three Chiefs players not to record an offensive statistic in Week 4 against the Giants.
Analysis: None of the players on this list figure to have much Fantasy appeal in the near future. Until their role changes, they should be left on the waiver wire in all leagues.
News: The winless Chiefs have signed former Arizona tight end Leonard Pope, linebacker David Herron and cornerback Mike Richardson. To make room, they released cornerback Ricardo Colclough, linebacker Monty Beisel and tight end Tom Crabtree.
Analysis: The only interesting name listed above is Pope, who we thought might land with the Chiefs since his offensive coordinator in Arizona, Todd Haley, is now the head coach. Pope is one to watch once he starts to get playing time, but he and the rest of the Chiefs' additions and releases aren't worth owning in Fantasy play right now.
News: The Cardinals released TE Leonard Pope on Friday as they got their roster down to 53 players. Pope, who has amazing size, has been a huge disappointment since being taken in the third round of the 2006 draft.
Analysis: Pope shouldn't have a problem finding a new home, but playing time could be an issue. Keep him off Fantasy rosters for now.
News: Just about every position is set as the Arizona Cardinals wind down training camp. The tight end though? Not even close. Five players are vying for the spot with no one distancing himself from the pack so far. Stephen Spach was working with the first team on Monday, with Ben Patrick on the second and Leonard Pope on the third. Anthony Becht and Dominique Byrd are also in the mix. But things can change in a hurry. "That's a battle. It's a contested battle," coach Ken Whisenhunt said Tuesday. "We've got three more preseason games and practices to find out and we'll make our decision at that point."
Analysis: The Cardinals might end the preseason with four of these guys on the roster as Ben Patrick will be suspended to start the year. Pope has long had potential to be a sleeper for Fantasy purposes, but with the Cardinals' receivers playing such a huge role in the offense, the tight end only sees a handful of yards each week. Whomever is the Cardinals' starting tight end isn't worth owning in Fantasy play.
News: The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Anthony Becht wants to start for the team this year. There are five tight ends on the roster: Ben Patrick, Leonard Pope, Stephen Spach, Alex Schor and Becht, a 10-year veteran who joined the team as a free agent. Patrick and Pope split time as the starter for much of the season, though they battled through injuries and inconsistency. Spach joined the team late in the year and became the starter, only to suffer torn knee ligaments in a Jan. 10 playoff win over Carolina. Schor spent the year on the practice squad. But now there is Becht, who at 6-feet-5, 280 pounds, is a big target and a strong blocker. "I can still catch, I can still run, but my view is Coach (Whisenhunt) wants to get the running game going," said Becht. "For whatever reason, they didn't run the ball that well last year and it still worked out all right, but you definitely need a balance and I'm hoping I can help with that."
Analysis: Becht's best season came in 2003, when he caught 40 passes for 356 yards and four touchdowns for the Jets. Still, Becht isn't going to catch many passes in this offense. Even if he wins the job ahead of Pope or the other players competing, ignore Becht in all leagues. Only Pope would have minimal Fantasy value if he's named the starter.
News: Cardinals TE Stephen Spach, TE Leonard Pope and WR Sean Morey did not record an offensive statistic in Week 16 at New England.
Analysis: None of the players listed above have a chance to produce significant Fantasy totals and for that reason should be left on the waiver wire in all leagues until further notice.
News: Cardinals TE Stephen Spach, RB Tim Castille, WR Early Doucet, TE Leonard Pope and WR Sean Morey did not record an offensive statistic in Week 15 against Minnesota.
Analysis: None of the players listed above have a chance to produce significant Fantasy totals and for that reason should be left on the waiver wire in all leagues until further notice.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught only a 25-yard pass Week 13 at Philadelphia. He has only eight catches all season.
Analysis: Clearly, Pope doesn't produce Fantasy-relevant numbers. He should remain on waivers for Week 14 against the Rams.
News: The Cardinals listed the following players as inactive for Week 12 against the Giants: QB Brian St. Pierre (third QB), WR Early Doucet, TE Leonard Pope, TE Jerame Tuman, LB Clark Haggans and DL Alan Branch.
Analysis: None of the players on this list should be considered viable Fantasy options. They are not in a position to contribute regular stats as they aren't in line for regular playing time. They've got some depth chart climbing to do and should be left on the waiver wire.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught two passes for nine yards during a Week 11 win against the Seahawks. He caught both of the passes thrown his way and his longest gain went eight yards.
Analysis: Pope caught his first pass Week 11 since Oct. 12 against the Cowboys. He has been hobbled by injury recently, but even before he went down, Pope wasn't a big factor on offense despite being a starter. Pope has little to no Fantasy value heading into Week 12 against the Giants.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope, RB Terrelle Smith, RB Tim Castille, TE Stephen Spach, WR Sean Morey and QB Matt Leinart all dressed, but failed to record an offensive stat Week 10 vs. San Francisco.
Analysis: Pope is the only starter among the list of players that didn't factor Week 10. Still, he doesn't see a lot of passes thrown his way and has as much Fantasy value as the other players -- little to none. Make sure to keep all of these players reserved heading into Week 11 against the Seahawks.
News: Arizona Cardinals tight end Leonard Pope returned to practice on Friday and might be able to play against the San Francisco 49ers on Monday night. "He looked good," coach Ken Whisenhunt said. "He actually did everything today, which is surprising."
Analysis: Pope and fellow tight end Ben Patrick were listed as questionable for the 49ers. Pope has missed the last two games with an ankle injury. Patrick has missed three with a knee injury. Pope has just five catches for 36 yards this season. He has not been a big part of the offense and is not a recommended Fantasy option Week 10.
News: The Arizona Cardinals have listed the inactives for their Week 9 game at St. Louis. Not in uniform will be: QB Brian St. Pierre (third QB), DE Travis LaBoy (groin), DT Alan Branch (coach's decision), WR Early Doucet (groin), TE Leonard Pope (ankle) and TE Ben Patrick (knee).
Analysis: Pope and Patrick have some Fantasy value when healthy, but should both be benched this week. Jeremy Tuman will start in their place. The other guys in this list can continue to be ignored in all formats.
News: The Arizona Republic reports Cardinals TE Leonard Pope is going to miss a second straight game because of an ankle injury, and coach Ken Whisenhunt is hopeful Pope will be able to resume practice next week. It's the same ankle that Pope dislocated late last season. He suffered the most recent injury two days before the Washington game on Sept. 21, and has tried to play through it. It continued to bother Pope, however, so it was determined that he should wear a boot and rest it a couple of weeks.
Analysis: Pope has minimal Fantasy value when healthy so ignore him in all leagues at this time.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope (ankle) has been ruled out for Week 8 at Carolina. He did not practice all week and will miss his first game of the season.
Analysis: Pope has just five catches for 36 yards this season and is not a big part of the Cardinals offense. He has little to no Fantasy value when healthy.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught two passes for 12 yards Week 6 against the Cowboys. He entered the game with only three receptions all season.
Analysis: Pope is the backup tight end on an offense that doesn't so much rely on its tight ends. The Cardinals have a bye in Week 7, but leave him on waivers for Week 8 at Carolina.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope, who went without a catch each of the last two weeks, caught only one pass for four yards Week 5 against the Bills.
Analysis: Pope is the backup tight end on an offense that doesn't so much rely on its tight ends. Leave him on waivers for Week 6 against the Cowboys.
News: Cardinals RB Tim Castille, TE Leonard Pope, WR Sean Morey and QB Matt Leinart all dressed, but failed to record an offensive stat Week 4 at N.Y. Jets.
Analysis: Most of these players are reserves for the Cardinals and don't have a key role on offense at this time. It's safe to keep them off Fantasy rosters heading into Week 5 against the Bills.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope started against the Redskins in Week 3 but did not record a stat.
Analysis: Pope shares time with Ben Patrick at TE in Arizona, but Pope is the sexier option because of his ability to catch touchdowns. Consider him a No. 2 TE in all formats for Week 4 at New York.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught one pass for 15 yards in a Week 2 rout of the Dolphins.
Analysis: Pope shares time with Ben Patrick at TE in Arizona, but Pope is the sexier option because of his ability to catch touchdowns. Consider him a No. 2 TE in all formats for Week 3 at Washington.
News: Arizona TE Leonard Pope caught one pass late in Sunday's Week 1 contest against the 49ers. Pope's catch went for 5 yards.
Analysis: Pope is a wide-bodied red-zone target that should steal touchdowns from other prominent Cardinals in the future. Because he can score, he remains a good No. 2 Fantasy TE. We don't recommend starting him in Week 2 against the Dolphins, but he could make a good spot start in weeks when your normal TE has a bye.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught an 18-yard touchdown in Saturday's preseason win over the Raiders.
Analysis: Pope is a wide-bodied red-zone target that should steal touchdowns from other prominent Cardinals in the future if he begins the season as a starter as expected. For what it's worth, Pope will be a restricted free agent after the 2008 season, so he should be motivated to play for a new deal. Think of him as a good No. 2 Fantasy TE.
News:The Sports Xchange notes that Ben Patrick is running with the first team ahead of the incumbent, Leonard Pope. He is returning from a severe ankle injury suffered in the 13th game last season.
Analysis: Pope is a wide-bodied red-zone target that should steal touchdowns from other prominent Cardinals in the future if he begins the season as a starter as expected. For what it's worth, Pope will be a restricted free agent after the 2008 season, so he should be motivated to play for a new deal. Think of him as a good No. 2 Fantasy TE next season.
News: Before breaking his ankle in Week 14 at Seattle, Leonard Pope was beginning to make strides as a low-end Fantasy TE, especially in the second half of the season. The second-year Cardinal started 11 games and caught 23 balls for 238 yards (10.3 avg.) and five touchdowns with one fumble.
Analysis: Pope is a wide-bodied red-zone target that should steal touchdowns from other prominent Cardinals in the future. For what it's worth, Pope will be a restricted free agent after the 2008 season, so he should be motivated to play for a new deal. Think of him as a good No. 2 Fantasy TE next season.
News: The Arizona Cardinals placed tight end Leonard Pope on injured reserve and re-signed Tim Euhus on Tuesday. Pope dislocated his right ankle in Sunday's 41-21 loss at Seattle. Rookie Ben Patrick will move into Pope's starting role.
Analysis: A third-round draft pick out of Georgia in 2006, Pope caught 23 passes for 238 yards and five touchdowns this season. He can be dropped from all rosters, and Euhus shouldn't be considered. Patrick, however, is worth an eyeball in the deepest of Fantasy leagues, particularly keeper leagues.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope dislocated his ankle in Week 14's loss to the Seahawks and is out for the rest of the season, reports the Arizona Republic. His starting spot will be taken by a combination of Troy Bienemann and Ben Patrick.
Analysis: Pope was a touchdown machine for the Cardinals before getting hurt, but we doubt that either Bienemann or Patrick will be as much of a scoring threat as Pope was. Release Pope in all leagues and look to another NFL team for TE help. Arizona play at New Orleans in Week 15.
News: Arizona tight end Leonard Pope was taken off the field on a cart after an injury to his right ankle late in the third quarter Week 14 against Seattle. After Pope caught a 5-yard pass from quarterback Kurt Warner, he turned upfield and cornerback Marcus Trufant grabbed Pope around the ankles, falling onto his lower right leg. Pope remained down on the field for more than five minutes while trainers placed an air cast around his foot and ankle. He hopped onto the cart and was taken off the field. He did not return. "We don't know the extent of how much damage there is with that, but obviously he'll be out," Arizona coach Ken Whisenhunt said.
Analysis: Already without second leading receiver Anquan Boldin on Sunday, Pope became more of a target for Warner. Pope had four catches when he left the game for 16 yards. Pope had 19 catches for 222 yards and five touchdowns entering Sunday. He has emerged as a low-end Fantasy TE, but his status for Week 15 at New Orleans is in jeopardy.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope, who is tied for seventh among TEs with five touchdowns, will try to make it back-to-back games against Seattle with a score when the two divisional rivals meet in Week 14. Pope caught a 30-yard touchdown pass in Week 2 against the Seahawks for his only catch of the game.
Analysis: Pope only has one game with more than three catches this season and only has five in his last three games, but he is a favorite target for Kurt Warner in the end zone and that makes him a decent No. 2 Fantasy TE option in Week 14 at Seattle.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope made it into the end zone for the fifth time this season during a Week 13 win against the Browns. Pope had just two catches for 14 yards, but scored the first offensive touchdown of the game with a 5-yard reception in the first quarter. He now has three touchdowns in his last four games.
Analysis: Pope has emerged as a big-time red zone threat for the Cardinals, but if he doesn't score a touchdown, he likely won't help Fantasy owners much. Consider him a low-end Fantasy TE heading into Week 14 against the Seahawks.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope hasn't scored since his Week 11 two-TD outburst vs. Detroit, but will play against a poor pass defense for the fourth week in a row when the Cardinals host the Browns in Week 13. Cleveland ranks 30th, allowing 25 passing touchdowns this season and allowing two passing scores in three of their last four games. The Browns have allowed three 100-yard receivers in their last five games, none of them tight ends, though.
Analysis: Pope is averaging 14.1 yards per catch this month; the problem is that Pope doesn't catch the ball very much, especially while sharing the field with Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin. Pope is a No. 2 Fantasy TE for Week 13 action.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught two passes for 39 yards during a Week 12 loss against the 49ers. He now has 17 receptions for 208 yards this season. He does have four touchdowns.
Analysis: Pope is a decent red zone target for the Cardinals, but if he doesn't score a touchdown, he likely won't help Fantasy owners much. Consider him a low-end Fantasy TE heading into Week 13 against the Browns.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught only one pass in Arizona's 35-27 win over the Bengals in Week 11, but it was an entertaining and crucial one. While getting sacked with 1:14 remaining in the first half, QB Kurt Warner flipped Pope the ball with his injured left hand and Pope rumbled 22 yards for a first down. The Cardinals scored two plays later.
Analysis: Pope caught two touchdowns in Week 10, but you surely didn't expect him to get anywhere near that total in Week 11, did you? He's a very inconsistent TE and only worth using in Week 12 against the 49ers if you're really hurting at the position.
News: When Leonard Pope takes on the Bengals in Week 11, he'll play against the 28th-ranked pass defense in the NFL, one that has allowed 20 passing scores this season. Moreover, the Bengals have given up 100-yard games to tight ends like Kellen Winslow and Tony Gonzalez. Pope made the Fantasy radar last week after catching five passes for 52 yards and two scores.
Analysis: While the matchup is nice for Pope, and Fantasy owners want to capitalize on his Week 10 game, Pope is still not recommended as anything more than a No. 2 Fantasy TE this week. Until he develops some consistency, he's going to remain a No. 2 option.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope had by far his best game of the season Week 10 against the Lions, catching five passes for 52 yards and two scores. The first touchdown went for two yards in the second quarter. The second went for 16 yards in the third. The second-year tight end out of Georgia did lose a fumble in the fourth quarter, however.
Analysis: Ignore the fumble and focus on the good for Pope. With Sunday's performance, he upped his season catch count from nine to 14, his season yardage count from 95 to 147, and his season touchdown count from two to four. The Cardinals might finally be ready to make the 6-foot-8 target a consistent part of their passing game. He'll be a popular pickup off the waiver wire for Week 11 at Cincinnati -- and rightfully so considering the dearth of Fantasy-relevant tight ends this season.
News: Leonard Pope was held without a catch at Tampa Bay on Sunday.
Analysis: Then again, Kurt Warner only had 10 completions all afternoon. Pope is only worth considering as a No. 2 Tight End against a porous Lions pass defense in Week 10.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught his second touchdown of the season in Week 8 and will try to make it consecutive weeks with scores when Arizona heads to Tampa Bay in Week 9.
Analysis: The Buccaneers' pass defense is pretty good and Pope has only caught more than one pass in a game just twice in seven games this season. Only use him in the deepest of leagues if your TE situation is very dire.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught three passes for 35 yards, including a 1-yard touchdown reception, during a Week 7 loss to the Redskins. Pope now has two touchdowns on the season, but has caught more than one pass in a game just twice in seven games.
Analysis: Pope is a decent red zone target for the Cardinals, but he doesn't rack up enough stats to warrant use outside of the largest Fantasy leagues at this time. The Cardinals are on a bye in Week 8 and return to action Week 9 against the Bucs.
News: Cardinals WR Jerheme Urban had one catch for 42 yards and TE Leonard Pope had one catch for three yards in Arizona's 25-10 loss to the Panthers in Week 6.
Analysis: Urban and Pope do not get enough touches in the Cardinals offense to be worthy of any Fantasy consideration at this time.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught one pass for five yards in Week 5 at St. Louis.
Analysis: Pope is not thrown to enough to matter in most Fantasy formats. Leave him on the waiver wire until further notice. The Cards face Carolina in Week 6.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope started but went without a catch Week 4 against the Steelers.
Analysis: Pope has minimal Fantasy value and should not be used in Week 5 against the Seahawks.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope had no catches Sunday against the Ravens.
Analysis: Pope has minimal Fantasy value and should not be used in Week 4 against the Steelers.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught one pass in Week 2 vs. Seattle, a 30-yard TD.
Analysis: Pope had three catches in Week 1 and appears like he might be a somewhat regular target for QB Matt Leinart. Consider him a low-end No. 2 Fantasy TE for Week 3 at Baltimore.
News: It won't happen to many times on a roster with Anquan Boldin and Larry Fitzgerald, but Leonard Pope led the Cardinals with 22 receiving yards in Week 1 at San Francisco. He tied Boldin for the lead in yardage.
Analysis: Pope had three receptions and will look to continue that production into Week 2 against the Seahawks. His Fantasy appeal is limited to the deepest of formats at this point.
News: AZCardinals.com reports that new tight ends coach Freddie Kitchens likes what he has in second-year tight end Leonard Pope and would like to see him improve on and off the field. "I worked Leonard Pope out last year when I was in Dallas because we ended up taking a tight end at Dallas, so I was involved with the tight ends last year," Kitchens said. "From watching Leonard in college and watching him now, he was real raw coming out of Georgia, and he is still raw right now. He has a good amount of ability, but he just has to take some technique things from practice over into the games and continue to get stronger and things of that nature. The end result will be a better player on the field, but that is what you saw out of him at Georgia and that is what I see now."
Analysis: Kitchens added that Pope's habits off the field may need to improve in order for him to be in the best shape possible. At 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds, Pope could be a heck of a target for Matt Leinart on clutch third downs and red-zone possessions because Pope's size presents a heck of a mismatch, especially against sub-6-foot safeties. Consider Pope a low-end sleeper in 2007 Fantasy drafts as he should develop into a decent tight end and a contributor for the Cardinals as soon as next season. Keeper-league owners should keep Pope if they can do so on the cheap, and astute owners may want to spend a late-round pick on him, especially in leagues that give weighted points to tight ends.
News: Cardinals rookie TE Leonard Pope caught 16 passes for 161 yards in 2006, but failed to find the end zone. On the bright side, he did start six games and out-produced all of the other Arizona tight ends.
Analysis: Consider Pope a low-end sleeper in 2007 Fantasy drafts as he should develop into a decent tight end and a contributor for the Cardinals as soon as next season. Keeper-league owners should keep Pope if they can do so on the cheap, and astute owners may want to spend a late-round pick on him, especially in leagues that give weighted points to tight ends.
News: TE John Bronson (1 reception, 25 yards) and WR Michael Spurlock (4 receptions, 31 yards) played in Week 17 at San Diego.
Analysis: Neither of these players are worthy of Fantasy consideration in 2007 on Draft Day.
News: Leonard Pope had just one catch for four yards in Week 16 at San Francisco.
Analysis: Pope is not a recommended Fantasy option for Week 17 at San Diego.
News: Cardinals tight end Adam Bergen will miss the final two games of the season after injuring his left knee in Sunday's loss to Denver. Coach Dennis Green said Monday that it hadn't been determined whether the injury would require surgery. Bergen, in his second season out of Lehigh, caught 15 passes for 111 yards and one touchdown this season. He signed with Arizona as an undrafted free agent in 2005 and started nine games as a rookie. Green said the Cardinals might bring John Bronson off the practice squad to back up starter Leonard Pope.
Analysis: While Pope has some value in deep keeper leagues, no Cardinals tight end should play in either of the coming weeks.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught just one pass for three yards in Week 14 vs. Seattle.
Analysis: Pope is not a recommended Fantasy TE option for Week 15.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope had two receptions for 20 yards in a Week 13 win over the Rams.
Analysis: Pope is not a recommended Fantasy option for Week 14 vs. Seattle.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught one pass for two yards in Week 12 at Minnesota.
Analysis: Pope is not a viable Fantasy TE at the moment. Ignore him.
News: TE Adam Bergen, WR Caryle Holiday, TE Lawrence Pope and TE Fred Wakefield were able to play in Week 7 at Oakland but they did not post any offensive statistics.
Analysis: Backup QB Kurt Warner also dressed, but he did not play in the game. Neither of the five players mentioned are worth a look in any Fantasy league for Week 8 at Green Bay.
News: Leonard Pope had one reception for nine yards in Week 6 against Chicago.
Analysis: Pope is not worth a look in any Fantasy format for Week 7 at Oakland.
News: Cardinals QB Kurt Warner, RB J.J. Arrington, RB Marcel Shipp, TE Leonard Pope and TE Fred Wakefield did not have any stats in Week 5 vs. Kansas City.
Analysis: None of the players mentioned above are worth adding in Fantasy leagues for Week 6 vs. Chicago.
News: The Cardinals totaled just 177 yards receiving in Week 4 at Atlanta. Star receivers Larry Fitzgerald and Anquan Boldin were both held under 75 yards, Leonard Pope caught two passes for just 32 yards, Adam Bergen caught one pass for four yards and Troy Walters caught just one pass for two yards. RB Edgerrin James led the team in catches with five.
Analysis: The only two receivers we'll recommend for Week 5 vs. Kansas City are the two obvious choices: Fitzgerald and Boldin. Everyone else should remain on the waiver wire.
News: TE Adam Bergen, TE Fred Wakefield, RB J.J. Arrington, FB Obafemi Ayanbadejo, RB Diamond Ferri, TE Leonard Pope and WR Troy Walters were among the Cardinals players that didn't record any offensive statistics in Week 3.
Analysis: These players currently have very little Fantasy value and it is not recommended you play them Week 4 at Atlanta.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope did not record an offensive statistic in Week 2 at Seattle.
Analysis: Pope is not a viable Fantasy option at this stage. Ignore him.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope was the only rookie starter in the opener and the 6-foot-8-inch, athletic target is shaping up as the newcomer who will have greatest impact this season, although over time QB Matt Leinart and LG Deuce Lutui will give him a run for the title.
Analysis: Pope has very little Fantasy value until he shows he can be a constant contributor at TE. Don't start him Week 2 at Seattle.
News: Cardinals TE Leonard Pope caught one pass for nine yards in the Cardinals' 34-27 Week 1 win over the 49ers.
Analysis: Pope has very little Fantasy value until he shows he can be a constant contributor at TE. Don't start him Week 2 at Seattle.
News: Pope caught six balls for 40 yards and a touchdown in four preseason games this season. He's going to start at tight end for the Cardinals against the 49ers in Week 1.
Analysis: It's going to be tough for Pope to get attention in a passing game that has Anquan Boldin, Larry Fitztgerald and Edgerrin James. The Cards don't throw to their tight ends much either, but don't be fooled into thinking he's useless. He was a go-to guy in the red zone with Georgia and he'll develop into a nice player in the NFL. He's just not a recommended starter for a while.
News: The Cardinals signed tight end Leonard Pope to a three-year contract Monday. Pope, a third-round choice out of Georgia, declared early for the draft, leaving after his junior season. He had a career-high 33 receptions for 491 yards and three touchdowns last season.
Analysis: Pope will compete for the starting TE job in Arizona with Eric Edwards and Adam Bergen. Considering the competition, it may not take too much for Pope to land the job. The knocks on Pope are that his blocking is questionable, he doesn't have explosiveness, and plays upright (which may be because he's 6-foot-8). The biggest key for Pope is that he works harder to catch everything thrown at him, something he didn't do a lot of at Georgia. He's one to watch in training camp this summer; if he lands the gig, he could be in loads of single coverage and might put up the best numbers of all rookie TEs. He's a late-round flier in all seasonal leagues and an early- to middle-round choice in rookie-only dynasty league drafts.
News: The East Valley Tribune reports the Arizona Cardinals will utilize more two tight end sets next season with Leonard Pope and Adam Bergen. The coaches have been impressed with Pope, who was considered a steal (Round 3) in the NFL Draft.
Analysis: Pope has a ton of potential in the desert and is worth a late-round flier in leagues with 12-plus teams. Bergen finished well last season, but the presence of Pope now limits his value in drafts.
News: The Arizona Cardinals selected Georgia TE Leonard Pope with the 72nd overall selection (Round 3) in the 2006 NFL Draft.
Analysis: Pope was an absolute steal for the Cardinals, who also landed USC QB Matt Leinart. He'll compete with Eric Edwards and Adam Bergen for the top spot on the depth chart and could warrant late-round consideration in seasonal drafts.
