Kyle Shanahan’s use of tight ends in Atlanta offers an interesting angle on his shrewd offense. They don’t actually pile up that many yards; in the 2016 regular season, Falcons TEs totaled 788 yards, just 15 percent of the team’s receiving total. (The Niners gained 833 TE yards, more than a quarter of their less productive passing game, in part because there were so few good alternatives.)
But Atlanta’s tight ends play a crucial role that goes beyond just blocking on run plays. Shanahan uses them cleverly to deceive and spread out defenders, on pass plays as much or more than runs.