In the coming weeks, ZoneBlitz will feature rankings for each fantasy position in five scoring formats. The rankings will be accompanied by a brief article highlighting some of the big names, surprises and sleepers. Combined cheat sheets for each format will be available August 1 and constantly updated based on the latest news to keep you prepared for your drafts.

Editor’s Note: Tight end rankings are the fourth of six rankings to be posted to ZoneBlitz.com. Quarterback rankings can be found here, running back rankings can be found here and wide receivers can be found here.

OK, so things are obviously a bit in flux at the moment thanks to Aaron Hernandez and his current trouble with the 5-0. So let’s start in New England with a couple of assumptions when it comes to these rankings. Assumption No. 1: Hernandez’s legal situation will have no impact on his availability to the Patriots. Assumption No. 2: Rob Gronkowski will miss at least two games as he recovers from yet another surgery—this one on his back.

Should things go south for both of those guys, then changes happen elsewhere in terms of wide receiver rankings, running back rankings, and so on. Heck, Tim Tebow could very well find himself on the tight end rankings by the time we release cheat sheets. So stay tuned.

Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall via Wikipedia

Photo credit: Jeffrey Beall via Wikipedia

As for the rest of tight end lot, there was a time in fantasyland that if you didn’t nab Antonio Gates or Tony Gonzalez at the position, you might as well forget it. The big, burly blocker types dominated the position landscape, and the few with athletic builds a la Kellen Davis also came with hands a la Kellen Davis. These days, not so much.
Check out the top 10 across all formats. If you’re in a 10-team league, you have nothing to worry about. Sure, you’re feeling good if you nab Jimmy Graham, but are you really going to be upset if you trot Owen Daniels or Kyle Rudolph out there on a weekly basis? The answer should be no, assuming you strengthened your roster in other areas while waiting to fill your tight end position.

Photo credit: John Martinez Pavliga via Wikipedia

Photo credit: John Martinez Pavliga via Wikipedia

Those in larger leagues have a little more volatility to worry about, but still, Jermichael Finley, Brandon Pettigrew, Fred Davis and Dustin Keller, for all their questions, are more than capable of putting up starter-worthy fantasy digits on a weekly basis. And there are always sleepers, like Martellus Bennett, Jordan Cameron, and maybe even Rob Housler.

In my other positional write-ups I haven’t done much draft strategy discussion, but in the case of tight ends this year I think it’s worth it. I’m not overpaying for a top five tight end this season, because by the time my draft is over, if I’ve landed two of my top 18 in any scoring system—even numbers 17 and 18—I’ve cast myself a reasonable net for success. Sure, the upside of a top five tight end may not be there, but I can make a reasonable argument for as many as 20 tight ends winding up in the top 10 in positional scoring, and if you’ve appropriately built your roster elsewhere, all you need is a top 10 tight end to be successful.

I’d also anticipate at least two waiver wire types winding up vying for top 10 or 12 fantasy tight end status by the end of the year, so if you go the risky route in your draft, be ready to act on early-season success elsewhere—think Heath Miller from last year. Heck, Heath Miller could be this year’s version of Heath Miller considering he’s coming back from injury and not likely to be drafted, but could still help your squad the final 10 weeks of the fantasy season.

Regardless, I think I’ve made my point. Talented tight ends are plentiful.

Have a question? Take umbrage with any of my rankings? Want to discuss the topic further? Post in the comments section and let’s chat! And if enough questions trickle in through the course of the offseason and training camp, I’ll post a few mailbag stories. Thanks for reading. Now comment away!

STANDARD PPR Yardage-Heavy
  TM Player TM Player TM Player
1 NO Jimmy Graham NO Jimmy Graham NO Jimmy Graham
2 NE Aaron Hernandez ATL Tony Gonzalez NE Aaron Hernandez
3 ATL Tony Gonzalez DAL Jason Witten ATL Tony Gonzalez
4 SF Vernon Davis NE Aaron Hernandez DAL Jason Witten
5 DAL Jason Witten SF Vernon Davis SF Vernon Davis
6 NE Rob Gronkowski NE Rob Gronkowski NE Rob Gronkowski
7 MIN Kyle Rudolph BAL Dennis Pitta MIN Kyle Rudolph
8 BAL Dennis Pitta HOU Owen Daniels BAL Dennis Pitta
9 HOU Owen Daniels MIN Kyle Rudolph HOU Owen Daniels
10 SD Antonio Gates SD Antonio Gates CAR Greg Olsen
11 CAR Greg Olsen CAR Greg Olsen SD Antonio Gates
12 CHI Martellus Bennett DET Brandon Pettigrew CHI Martellus Bennett
13 STL Jared Cook GB Jermichael Finley STL Jared Cook
14 NYG Brandon Myers NYG Brandon Myers NYG Brandon Myers
15 GB Jermichael Finley CHI Martellus Bennett GB Jermichael Finley
16 DET Brandon Pettigrew STL Jared Cook DET Brandon Pettigrew
17 MIA Dustin Keller WAS Fred Davis WAS Fred Davis
18 WAS Fred Davis MIA Dustin Keller MIA Dustin Keller
19 CLE Jordan Cameron CLE Jordan Cameron CLE Jordan Cameron
20 IND Dwayne Allen ARI Rob Housler IND Dwayne Allen
21 CIN Jermaine Gresham IND Dwayne Allen CIN Jermaine Gresham
22 IND Coby Fleener CIN Jermaine Gresham IND Coby Fleener
23 DEN Jacob Tamme IND Coby Fleener DEN Jacob Tamme
24 ARI Rob Housler DEN Jacob Tamme ARI Rob Housler
25 SEA Zach Miller SEA Zach Miller SEA Zach Miller
26 CIN Tyler Eifert CIN Tyler Eifert CIN Tyler Eifert
27 PIT Heath Miller PIT Heath Miller PIT Heath Miller
28 PHI Zach Ertz DET Tony Scheffler PHI Zach Ertz
29 PHI Brent Celek PHI Zach Ertz PHI Brent Celek
30 DEN Joel Dreesen PHI Brent Celek DET Tony Scheffler
31 DET Tony Scheffler TEN Delanie Walker DEN Joel Dreesen
32 TEN Delanie Walker BAL Ed Dickson KC Tony Moeaki
33 KC Tony Moeaki KC Tony Moeaki TEN Delanie Walker
34 JAX Marcedes Lewis DEN Joel Dreesen JAX Marcedes Lewis
35 BAL Ed Dickson OAK David Ausberry BAL Ed Dickson
36 BUF Scott Chandler JAX Marcedes Lewis BUF Scott Chandler
37 TB Tom Crabtree BUF Scott Chandler TB Tom Crabtree
38 PHI James Casey TB Tom Crabtree OAK David Ausberry
39 OAK David Ausberry PHI James Casey PHI James Casey
40 NYJ Jeff Cumberland NYJ Jeff Cumberland NYJ Jeff Cumberland
TDHeavy Dynasty  
TM RB TM WR  
NO Jimmy Graham NO Jimmy Graham 1
SF Vernon Davis SF Vernon Davis 2
ATL Tony Gonzalez MIN Kyle Rudolph 3
NE Aaron Hernandez NE Aaron Hernandez 4
NE Rob Gronkowski DAL Jason Witten 5
MIN Kyle Rudolph NE Rob Gronkowski 6
BAL Dennis Pitta BAL Dennis Pitta 7
HOU Owen Daniels CAR Greg Olsen 8
SD Antonio Gates HOU Owen Daniels 9
DAL Jason Witten CLE Jordan Cameron 10
CHI Martellus Bennett WAS Fred Davis 11
CAR Greg Olsen IND Coby Fleener 12
STL Jared Cook CIN Tyler Eifert 13
MIA Dustin Keller CHI Martellus Bennett 14
NYG Brandon Myers STL Jared Cook 15
GB Jermichael Finley IND Dwayne Allen 16
DET Brandon Pettigrew PHI Zach Ertz 17
CLE Jordan Cameron GB Jermichael Finley 18
WAS Fred Davis DET Brandon Pettigrew 19
IND Dwayne Allen SD Antonio Gates 20
CIN Jermaine Gresham PIT Heath Miller 21
DEN Joel Dreesen ARI Rob Housler 22
IND Coby Fleener MIA Dustin Keller 23
SEA Zach Miller WAS Jordan Reed 24
ARI Rob Housler CIN Jermaine Gresham 25
CIN Tyler Eifert NYG Brandon Myers 26
PIT Heath Miller BAL Ed Dickson 27
PHI Zach Ertz TB Tom Crabtree 28
PHI Brent Celek KC Travis Kelce 29
TEN Delanie Walker DEN Joel Dreesen 30
DEN Jacob Tamme SEA Zach Miller 31
DET Tony Scheffler PHI Brent Celek 32
BUF Scott Chandler DEN Jacob Tamme 33
PHI James Casey PHI James Casey 34
KC Tony Moeaki ATL Tony Gonzalez 35
JAX Marcedes Lewis TEN Delanie Walker 36
TB Tom Crabtree BUF Scott Chandler 37
BAL Ed Dickson STL Lance Kendricks 38
STL Lance Kendricks DET Tony Scheffler 39
NYJ Jeff Cumberland JAX Marcedes Lewis 40

For Zoneblitz.com’s quarterback ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s running back ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s wide receiver ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s kicker ratings, click here.
For Zoneblitz.com’s defense ratings, click here.