Packers: Power ranking NFC North by position groups

Tight ends

1. Vikings

Kyle Rudolph is still a reliable target for the Vikings at tight end with 10 touchdowns over the past two seasons. Second-year Irv Smith Jr. will be a player to watch. He finished his rookie season with 311 yards and two touchdowns but could become a bigger part of this offense in 2020.

2. Lions

This all comes down to T.J. Hockenson, the eighth overall pick in last year’s draft. Hockenson made the perfect start to his NFL career with 131 yards and a touchdown in his debut. But the rookie only added another 236 yards and a touchdown in the other 11 games he played. Hockenson has star potential and he’ll be a player to watch.

3. Packers

Similarly, the Packers are also banking on a second-year jump at the tight end position. Jace Sternberger didn’t make a catch in the regular season after missing the first half of the year. He also made a slow start to training camp, but the Packers need him to become a bigger part of this offense in 2020. With Marcedes Lewis returning and Robert Tonyan set to make a jump, the Packers rank third in the NFC North.

4. Bears

As the other three teams in the division found out last year, the Bears shouldn’t expect too much from rookie Cole Kmet this season. Instead, they need Jimmy Graham to produce consistently. In his two years in Green Bay, he didn’t do that nearly enough.