Fantasy Football Top 20 Tight End Rankings

 

Great tight ends in fantasy football are tough to come by for your team. Few tight ends are surefire starters every week. I could tell you that a couple tight ends will have a breakout year, but that probably will not be the case. Either you draft a stud early in the draft, or take one late and hope he catches fire during the season. After the first couple tight ends, don’t expect another tight end to be picked for awhile. Our rankings for tight ends in the upcoming season go as followed below.

1. Rob Gronkowski- New England Patriots

2. Jimmy Graham- Seattle Seahawks

3. Greg Olsen- Carolina Panthers

4. Julius Thomas- Jacksonville Jaguars

5. Martellus Bennett- Chicago Bears

6. Travis Kelce- Kansas City Chiefs

7. Jason Witten- Dallas Cowboys

8. Coby Fleener- Indianpolis Colts

9. Zach Ertz- Philadelphia Eagles

10. Delanie Walker-  Tennessee Titans

11. Owen Daniels- Denver Broncos

12. Antonio Gates- San Diego Chargers

13. Jordan Cameron- Miami Dolphins

14. Dwayne Allen- Indianpolis Colts

15. Kyle Rudolph- Minnisota Vikings

16. Jordan Reed- Washington Redskins

17. Maxx Williams- Baltimore Ravens

18. Charles Clay- Buffalo Bills

19. Austin Seferian-Jenkins- Tampa Bay Buccaneers

20. Larry Donnell- New York Giants

 

Q&A

1. Which Tight End (besides the top five) can breakout and exceed expectations?

That is definitely difficult to answer, as tight ends as a whole seem to never progress. Zach Ertz out of Philadelphia could prove that he is coming on as a more reliable tight end, as he has progressed every year. Look out for Owen Daniels in Denver. Peyton Manning always finds ways to make plays for his tight ends, and with Daniels probably being the starter Week 1, he definitely will get his opportunities.

2. If I can’t get a top tight end, which round should I target one of the other ones?

Not being able to get a tight end might seem like a bummer at first, but it won’t hurt very much in the long run. Besides Gronkowski, do you really think one of the other guys is going to be a threat every week? In rounds 1 and 2, I believe Rob Gronkowski, Jimmy Graham, and Julius Thomas will be off the board. So how long should you wait for the next tight ends? I think around Round 6 or 7, someone like Greg Olsen and Travis Kelce could possibly be picked. Then the tight ends will start coming off the board starting Round 8. Martellus Bennett, Jason Witten, Zach Ertz, and the others will start to be taken. So Round 7 is when you should start thinking about adding a tight end if you do not pick a top player earlier.

3. With Julius Thomas heading to Jacksonville, will he put up the same numbers as he did in Denver?

I don’t believe he will have the year like he did last year in Denver. No offense to Thomas, but having Manning as the quarterback definitely made him better. Thomas obviously is one of the best tight ends currently in football, but lining up in a Jaguars uniform is something that could hamper his fantasy production. Blake Bortles, a second-year quarterback, will be the one throwing his way. Bortles did not have a great rookie season, but he has stated he feels confident he can get over the hurdle this year. Young quarterbacks tend to target tight ends, so Thomas will get his fair share of receptions. Will he find the end zone anywhere close to last season? That is the question that many wonder about Julius Thomas this upcoming season.

The Strategy

If one does not have a tight end who can put up points, it is painful to watch. Fantasy Football requires players to start a tight end, which makes some players go crazy in the fact that all seven of the tight ends they have used have been disappointments. If it were me, I’d take a top running back over a top tight end, as running backs value are much greater. Receivers have made a name for themselves, as there is a stockpile to choose from at that position. The only for sure tight end who I would take early would be Rob Gronkowski and Jimmy Graham. Having a top tight end would help solve problems throughout the season, barring any injuries. Doing research on these guys will be key. Hearing about how they do in training camp to watching the preseason games could come in handy. Have low expectations, as this group tends to never exceed expectations in fantasy football.

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