Here are my top 30 tight ends for Week 9, citing standard-scoring leagues only.
This countdown doesn't lean on a particular stat. It's merely an educated best guess of which tight ends will tally the best combination of total yards and touchdowns for the NFL's ninth weekend.
Regardless of how these rankings shake out every week, it shouldn't supersede two important factors that go into regular lineup consideration:
1. Always play your healthy superstars.
2. Always ride your gut instinct over a certain guru's analysis (read: plausible deniability).
BYES: Detroit, Tennessee, Atlanta, Chicago, Buffalo, Green Bay
TOP 30 TIGHT ENDS
1. Rob Gronkowski vs. Denver
2. Greg Olsen vs. New Orleans
3. Jimmy Graham @ Carolina
4. Julius Thomas @ New England
5. Antonio Gates @ Miami
6. Travis Kelce vs. N.Y. Jets
7. Jared Cook @ San Francisco
8. Heath Miller vs. Baltimore
9. Zach Ertz @ Houston
10. Dwayne Allen @ N.Y. Giants
11. Larry Donnell vs. Indianapolis
12. Jordan Reed @ Minnesota
13. Jason Witten vs. Arizona
14. Vernon Davis vs. St. Louis
15. Clay Harbor @ Cincinnati
16. John Carlson @ Dallas
17. Luke Willson vs. Oakland
18. Tim Wright vs. Denver
19. Jace Amaro @ Kansas City
20. Charles Clay vs. San Diego
21. Austin Seferian-Jenkins @ Cleveland
22. Mychal Rivera @ Seattle
23. Crockett Gilmore @ Pittsburgh
24. Coby Fleener @ N.Y. Giants
25. Chase Ford vs. Washington
26. Niles Paul @ Minnesota
27. Jim Dray vs. Tampa Bay
28. Jermaine Gresham vs. Jacksonville
29. Anthony Fasano vs. N.Y. Jets
30. Ladarius Green @ Miami
Jay Clemons, the 2008 Fantasy Football Writer of the Year (Fantasy Sports Writers Association), can be reached via Twitter, day or night, at @FOX_JayClemons.
