Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings: Sleepers to wake up your roster
Aug 23, 2013; Green Bay, WI, USA; Green Bay Packers tight end Jermichael Finley (88) reacts after making a catch for a first down in the first quarter during the game against the Seattle Seahawks at Lambeau Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-USA TODAY Sports
The tight end position is this season’s biggest mystery for fantasy footballers. Injuries, coaching changes, and new faces in new places make the tight end fantasy values tough to predict.
While your opponents are using lists from websites and magazines two weeks old, be a step ahead and utilize the lists below. This is the same place where we predicted big things for Jimmy Graham in 2011, 1,310 yards and 11 TDs. Called for a big seasons from sleepers Greg Olsen last year (No. 6 TE in FF) and Dennis Pitta (No. 7 TE in FF). And predicted a 2012 dud season from Brandon Pettigrew and Brent Celek.
Face it, tight end is a crapshoot but we here at City of Champions have done the work for you. It’s time to stop procrastinating and prepare. Your team of winners awaits.
(All stats were based on standard fantasy football league scoring. Values were determined by preseason play, last years FF results from CBS Sportsline.com and NFL.com, coordinator and scheme changes, and strength of opponents in running and passing game).
Tight End Rankings (posted 8-27-2013)
| BYE | TEAM | Notes | ||
| 1 | Jimmy Graham | 7 | NO | Top FF TE last year and No. 2 in 2011. |
| 2 | Rob Gronkowski | 10 | NE | If the rumors are true, he will be back this season. |
| 3 | Vernon Davis | 9 | SF | Other than Boldin, who else will Kapernick throw to? |
| 4 | Jason Witten | 11 | DAL | Romo BFF. |
| 5 | Jermichael Finley | 4 | GB | He has been the go to guy all preseason. Looks hungry in contract year. Predicting Finley to be 2013 No. 2 FF TE. |
| 6 | Tony Gonzalez | 6 | ATL | Last hoorah for future hall of famer. |
| 7 | Fred Davis | 5 | WAS | Achilles is healed. |
| 8 | Greg Olsen | 4 | CAR | #2 receiver for Carolina. |
| 9 | Kyle Rudolph | 5 | MIN | Caught 9 TDs last year. |
| 10 | Julius Thomas | 9 | DEN | Who is he? One heckuva sleeper catching balls from TE loving Peyton Manning. |
| 11 | Jordan Cameron | 10 | CLE | Norv will boost the TE #s in Cleveland. |
| 12 | Ed Dickson | 8 | BALT | Flacco won’t miss Pitta if Dickson can stay healthy. |
| 13 | Antonio Gates | 8 | SD | He was #12 TE in FF last season and losing Norv wont improve that value. |
| 14 | Dewayne Allen | 8 | IND | Caught nearly 2x as many passes as Fleener in non-TE friendly Arians offense. Big redzone target that holds on to the ball unlike Fleener. |
| 15 | Owen Daniels | 8 | HOU | Texans drafted TE Ryan Griffin and WR Deandre Hopkins who will cut into Daniels production. Plus he has a history of injuries. |
| 16 | Martellus Bennett | 8 | CHI | Huge talent and new head coach will revive the Bears TE value. |
| 17 | Jermaine Gresham | 12 | CIN | Competition with #1 Draft Pick Eifert should give Gresham incentive to hold on to the ball better this season. |
| 18 | Jared Cook | 11 | STL | New face in new place. Not sure about yards but Bradford has been targeting him in end zone. |
| 19 | Kellen Winslow | 10 | NYJ | Guess who’s back? Back again and showing speed, agility and great hands. A nice sleeper candidate. |
| 20 | Brandon Pettigrew | 9 | DET | Coming soon–Stafford nailing Pettigrew in the jewels for dropping yet another perfectly thrown ball. |
| 21 | Brandon Myers | 9 | NYG | Great season in Oakland but needs a few more weeks to get on the same page as Eli. Not a TE1 until mid-season. |
| 22 | Heath Miller | 5 | PIT | Big Ben misses Miller. Hopefully back in October. |
| 23 | Marcedes Lewis | 9 | JAX | Another injured and talented TE who is set to return in September. |
| 24 | Luke Wilson | 12 | SEA | 5th round rookie was 2nd on Seattle’s TE draft board. Has developed a good rapport with the other Wilson in Seattle. Not a blocker. |
| 25 | Scott Chandler | 12 | BUF | Good TE are always helpful for rookie QBs. |
| 26 | Zach Sudfield | 10 | NE | Will lead the way until Gronk returns. The WRs in NE are more talented than he is. |
| 27 | Tyler Eifert | 12 | CIN | See Jermaine Gresham #17. |
| 28 | Coby Fleener | 8 | IND | See Dewayne Allen #14. |
| 29 | Brent Celek | 12 | PHI | Looks a little slower this year. Injury history and addition of 2nd round TE Zach Ertz drops his value. |
| 30 | Ben Watson | 7 | NO | Played well in Cleveland. Good hands and excellent route runner. Brees may have his own tight end duo this season. |
| 31 | Delanie Walker | 8 | TEN | If only Locker could throw consistently to a target… |
| 32 | Mychal Rivera | 7 | OAK | Glee star Santana’s (Naya Rivera) younger bro has turned heads in preseason. Beat Jason Witten’s old U of T passing yards record last year. Replaces FF top 10 TE Myers in the same offensive scheme. |
| 33 | Rob Housler | 9 | ARI | He’s hurt and Arians is not TE friendly. Not hyped on his potential in 2013. |
| 34 | Dallas Clark | 8 | BALT | He can’t block but he can still catch the ball. |