Charles Clay

Charles Clay

35-Year-Old Tight EndTE
 Free Agent  
2024 Fantasy Outlook
There was no outlook written for Charles Clay in 2024. Check out the latest news below for more on his current fantasy value.
$Signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the Cardinals in February of 2019.
Intends to play next season
TEFree Agent
March 17, 2021
Clay plans to resume his playing career in 2021, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
ANALYSIS
Clay reportedly had offers to play last season, but he chose to sit out due to concerns related to the COVID-19 pandemic. He last suited up for the Cardinals back in 2019, when he managed 18 catches for 237 yards and one touchdown across 15 games. Now 32 years old, Clay could provide experienced depth at tight end for a team, but a return to fantasy relevance seems unlikely.
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Fantasy/Red Zone Stats
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2019
2018
2017
2016
2019 NFL Game Log
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2018 NFL Game Log
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2017 NFL Game Log
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2016 NFL Game Log
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Receiving Alignment Breakdown
See where Charles Clay lined up on the field and how he performed at each spot.
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2024 Charles Clay Split Stats
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Measurables Review View College Player Page
How do Charles Clay's measurables compare to other tight ends?
This section compares his draft workout metrics with players at the same position. The bar represents the player's percentile rank. For example, if the bar is halfway across, then the player falls into the 50th percentile for that metric and it would be considered average.
Height
6' 3"
 
Weight
246 lbs
 
40-Yard Dash
4.69 sec
 
Shuttle Time
4.15 sec
 
Cone Drill
7.07 sec
 
Vertical Jump
33.5 in
 
Broad Jump
118 in
 
Bench Press
18 reps
 
Hand Length
9.63 in
 
Arm Length
33.00 in
 
Recent RotoWire Articles Featuring Charles Clay See More
NFL: Interpreting Best Ball Data
August 5, 2020
Chris Liss looks at the Fanball/NFFC Best Ball data from 2018-2019. Unsurprisingly, Christian McCaffrey was the biggest impact player both years.
NFL Draft: Team Needs and Fantasy Fits (NFC Edition)
April 7, 2020
The Cowboys don't necessarily need to use an early draft pick to replace Randall Cobb, but wouldn't it fun if they did anyway? Enter Penn State's KJ Hamler, who can burn defenders deep while working the slot.
Gameday Injuries: Week 17
Gameday Injuries: Week 17
December 29, 2019
December 29, 2019
Juan Carlos Blanco guides you through the tricky terrain of a bloated Week 17 injury report with the latest as of early Sunday morning.
Hidden Stat Line: NFL Week 10 Recap
November 12, 2019
Jerry Donabedian breaks down all the games from Week 10, including a Cardinals-Bucs contest that was loaded with fantasy intrigue.
Hidden Stat Line: NFL Week 9 Recap
November 5, 2019
Jerry Donabedian breaks down every game from Week 9, noting how new Chargers offensive coordinator Shane Steichen put Melvin Gordon in good position for his first big game of the season.
Past Fantasy Outlooks
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Clay arrives in Arizona after back-to-back four-year stints with the Dolphins and Bills. He peaked with a 69-759-6 line in 2013 and managed modest output in the meantime, but last season was his nadir, as injuries contained him to 184 yards and no TDs in 13 games. Penciled in as the Cardinals' No. 1 tight end, Clay nonetheless will have to fend off the promising Ricky Seals-Jones as all the skill-position talent adjusts to new coach Kliff Kingsbury's system.
Quick, name the three best wide receivers on the Bills. Heck, can you name anyone in that messy passing game? That's the main reason we keep coming back to Clay for fantasy relevance, at least for a few weeks every season. There's not much else going on in Buffalo. Clay has turned into a "what you see is what you get" player. He's finished TE19, TE17 and TE18 (half-PPR scoring) since joining the Bills, scoring nine TDs in 41 games. He managed 14.6 YPC in his rookie season in 2011, but he hasn't topped 11.8 since. He'll generally catch about two-thirds of the passes in his direction, and he's missed at least one game in four straight seasons. The first order for Clay is to get something going with the new quarterbacks - AJ McCarron arrives from Cincinnati and Josh Allen was snagged in the draft. Someone in this offense will push for 750 receiving yards and 5-7 touchdowns. We're not going to bet on Clay being that man, but we do run into injuries and bye weeks. That's what Clay is - one of those temporary targets you rent for a short time, then toss back on the wire.
Is the glass half full or half empty with Clay? Although he's battled chronic knee problems since joining the Bills -- missing four games and hobbling through many others -- he has been reasonably productive. He's produced as the No. 17 fantasy tight end over that period, ranking 13th in catches and 15th in yards. This might not be Charles in Charge, but he hasn't exactly been Chuckles the Clown. That established, the Bills realize Clay is a player they have to handle with kid gloves. Coach Sean McDermott said in late May that the club is "concerned with (Clay's) knee situation." With that in mind, it seems foolish to push Clay's projection past what he's shown the last two years, and he probably offers more downside than upside. If you wind up rostering Clay at any point this year, you'll probably have to balance him out with another tight end.
Much was expected of Clay when he left Miami to sign a lucrative deal with the Bills last offseason, but it didn't work out the way most hoped. The expectation was that speedsters Sammy Watkins and Percy Harvin would stretch the field, allowing Clay to roam free underneath. But Watkins, though he piled up stats, missed three games and was limited in a few others by hip, calf and ankle injuries, while Harvin played only five games before his career ended. The Bills' coaching staff blamed first-year starter Tyrod Taylor's inexperience, as he often couldn't find Clay open across the middle. Clay also dealt with knee and calf injuries and missed the final three games with a back injury. He still averaged the same TPG (six) as his last year in Miami, though it's a bit skewed because one-third (26) of his 77 targets came in two games. In his remaining 11 games he averaged 4.6 TPG. Worst, after 34 red-zone targets and 20 inside the 10 his last two years with the Dolphins, Clay had three and two, respectively, his first year in Buffalo. At 6-3, 255, Clay isn't as big as most TE, but has good speed (4.62 40) and reliable hands. The Bills hope to make better use of his skills this year, and might have to. Watkins is uncertain for the regular season following foot surgery. Continued development by Taylor would go a long way, as well.
Clay signed a hefty free-agent deal this offseason with the Bills after posting serviceable numbers the last couple years with the Dolphins. In Miami, Clay made due in an offense that had trouble stretching the field. That shouldn't be an issue in Buffalo where the Bills boast two of the league's fastest receivers in Sammy Watkins and Percy Harvin. With that deep-threat duo drawing safety attention to the outside, the middle of the field should be open for the elusive Clay, who had nearly half his yards come after the catch the last two years. Clay is not a big tight end at 6-3, 255, but he had 20 red-zone targets (4th among TE) last season and 13 inside the 10 (2nd). He only converted two of those into touchdowns, however, after five in 2013. The Bills plan to use Clay in tight, split wide, in the slot and in the backfield, which should ensure a healthy number of targets. He might need the help because the Bills have a number of pass-catchers to feed, including LeSean McCoy, Fred Jackson and Robert Woods in addition to Watkins and Harvin.
Dustin Keller's knee injury in training camp last year opened the door for Clay, who went on to have a top-10 fantasy season at tight end. Clay is more of an H-back than a traditional tight end at an undersized 6-3, 255, but he is elusive in the open field and makes defenders miss. He totaled 382 yards after the catch last season, fifth among tight ends. And despite his stature, he still caught 10-of-14 passes in the red zone for five touchdowns, including 6-of-7 inside the 10-yard line for four scores. Clay should again see a large share of the targets, though second-round pick Jarvis Landry, a possession receiver with good hands, could potentially cut into his third-down work. Clay had a team-leading 18 third-down receptions last season with a third of his targets coming on third down. The passing game was mediocre last season, but a better deep ball by Ryan Tannehill -- the Dolphins ranked 26th last year with only 24 pass plays of 25-plus yards -- would give Clay more space to work underneath.
Clay is likely to compete with rookie Dion Sims as the Dolphins' No. 2 TE.
Clay was an intriguing project under the Tony Sparano regime. It remains to be seen how the Joe Philbin regime will use him. Anthony Fasano, current starter, may not be a fit in the new offense, so Clay could see more time on the field if he can adapt to the west coast offense quicker then Fasano.
Clay can play either fullback or tight end and could be a threat to Anthony Fasano if the Dolphins decide that TE is his best position in the pros. The Dolphins have not been happy with Fasano and Clay could possibly challenge for the starting position with a strong camp. That being said Clay could at least eat in Fasano's playing time as the season progresses but neither TE is a fantasy target as the Dolphins don't possess the greatest of offenses.
More Fantasy News
Manages 18 receptions in 2019
TEArizona Cardinals
January 9, 2020
Clay (calf) put up 18 catches (on 24 targets) for 237 yards and one touchdown during the 2019 campaign.
ANALYSIS
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Sidelined Week 17
TEArizona Cardinals
Calf
December 29, 2019
Clay (calf) is inactive for Sunday's contest against the Rams at L.A., Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
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Questionable for Week 17
TEArizona Cardinals
Calf
December 27, 2019
Clay (calf) didn't practice Friday and is questionable for Sunday's game against the Rams, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
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No activity Thursday
TEArizona Cardinals
Calf
December 26, 2019
Clay (calf) was listed as a non-participant on Thursday's injury report, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
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Limited to begin Week 17
TEArizona Cardinals
Calf
December 25, 2019
Clay is listed as a limited participant on Wednesday's estimated practice report due to a calf issue, Darren Urban of the Cardinals' official site reports.
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Latest Fantasy Rumors
Works out with Ravens
TEFree Agent
June 13, 2021
Clay has worked out with the Ravens and is looking to make his return to the NFL after sitting out last season, Adam Caplan of SiriusXM NFL Radio reports.
ANALYSIS
If he ends up getting an offer from Baltimore, Clay would slide in no higher than third on the tight end depth chart behind Mark Andrews and Nick Boyle (knee). Clay had at least 49 catches for five consecutive seasons between 2013 and 2017, but he caught only 18 passes in 15 games for the Cardinals when he last suited up in 2019.
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