Owen Daniels or Chris Cooley. Not exactly one of the great debates like Ginger or Mary Ann. Coke or Pepsi. Caddyshack or Animal House.

But this is a pretty good debate for the second tier of fantasy tight ends. A place where you are going to be able to find value.

Daniels and Cooley are both coming off injuries, but the Texans tight end told fantasy enthusiasts on Wednesday that he expects to be ready for Week 1 after tearing his ACL last October. Cooley is fully healed, too, though.

Both players will be playing in the same offense, as former Texans offensive coordinator Kyle Shanahan moves over to Washington.

Daniels even jokingly implored fantasy leaguers to pick him because, “he’s younger.”

But yeah, that ACL injury is tough to overlook, even if Daniels believes that he is going to be ready go Week 1. You have to imagine that he will be a touch slower. So I put Cooley a touch higher in our expert’s rankings (though some of you might caution to put me in the expert category).

I am rather bullish on Cooley’s fantasy potential this year, because Shanahan’s offense favors the tight end. And really, who else is Donovan McNabb going to throw to? Gary Clark is not walking through that door. And, conversely, Daniels is competing with Andre Johnson and Kevin Walter (among others) for receptions.

Look for Cooley to bounce-back and have a monster year. He will be undervalued, so scoop him up in later rounds.

– Adam Rank

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