Here are my pre-minicamp rankings for the top 35 tight ends in standard-scoring leagues:
1. Jimmy Graham, Saints
2. Aaron Hernandez, Patriots
3. Tony Gonzalez, Falcons
4. Jason Witten, Cowboys
5. Rob Gronkowski, Patriots
6. Greg Olsen, Panthers
7. Heath Miller, Steelers
8. Owen Daniels, Texans
9. Vernon Davis, 49ers
10. Jermaine Gresham, Bengals
11. Dennis Pitta, Ravens
12. Dustin Keller, Dolphins
13. Brandon Pettigrew, Lions
14. Kyle Rudolph, Vikings
15. Jermichael Finley, Packers
1. In any other year, Rob Gronkowski (55 catches, 790 yards, 11 TDs last year) would warrant the top ranking, citing two reasons: Double-digit touchdowns in three NFL seasons ... and a four-game run of 24 catches, 382 yards and seven TDs from Weeks 7-11.
For now, though, we'll be invoking a wait-and-see approach to Gronk's recovery from a fourth surgery on a broken arm (last November).
2. And for the Saints' Jimmy Graham ... opportunity knocks. Of the last two seasons, he boasts absurd averages of 92 catches, 142 targets, 1,196 yards and 10 touchdowns. And once again, Drew Brees is a viable candidate for 5,000 yards passing and 40-plus touchdowns.
3. I don't know how to characterize Witten's career-best mark of 147 targets in his 10th NFL season. Is he getting better with age (like Tony Gonzalez), or were the Cowboys simply not prepared to handle the widening gap at receiver between Dez Bryant (92 catches, 1,382 yards, 10 TDs) and Miles Austin (only 20 TDs for 2010-12)?
4. Normally, I'd sound the warning bell from Heath Miller's career-best tallies of 816 yards and eight touchdowns last year — with just his second campaign of 70-plus catches. But he deserves major props for posting rock-solid and consistent numbers from Weeks 1-15.
5. I understand all the Dennis Pitta love (eight TDs in his final 12 games) heading into training camp, but it's still not enough for a top-10 ranking here. Within that span, including the playoffs, Pitta notched a grand total of only 43 catches, 60 targets and 523 yards).
6. God knows Brandon Pettigrew has his faults in real-world football. How BP got stripped by the Titans in Week 2 last year ... I'll never be able to rationalize that.
From a fantasy perspective, though, he has produced three straight seasons of 100-plus targets — a feat only Pettigrew, Tony Gonzalez and Jason Witten have accomplished since 2010.
16. Brandon Myers, Giants
17. Antonio Gates, Chargers
18. Coby Fleener, Colts
19. Delanie Walker, Titans
20. Jared Cook, Rams
21. Dwayne Allen, Colts
22. Brent Celek, Eagles
23. Fred Davis, Redskins
24. Martellus Bennett, Bears
25. Tyler Eifert, Bengals
26. Joel Dreessen, Broncos
27. Scott Chandler, Bills
28. Zach Miller, Seahawks
29. Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars
30. Ed Dickson, Ravens
31. Luke Stocker, Buccaneers
32. Jacob Tamme, Broncos
33. Rob Housler, Cardinals
34. Tony Scheffler, Lions
35. Tony Moeaki, Chiefs
1. The Raiders were crazy to let Brandon Myers (79 catches, 806 yards, four TDs) sign with Eli Manning and the Giants, amid little fanfare. Of his four double-digit-target games last year, Myers notched 35 catches for 288 yards and four touchdowns.
2. It's hard to embrace Jared Cook (now with the Rams) as anything more than a backup tight end. In standard-scoring leagues, he produced one outing of double-digit fantasy points last season (Week 4 against the Lions).
3. Let's hold off on planning Antonio Gates' retirement party: From an injury-plagued 2012, he tallied seven games of six or more targets ... and one touchdown in his final three outings.
4. The stars are aligned for either Coby Fleener or Dwayne Allen to make a major leap forward with the Colts, coinciding with Andrew Luck's lightning-fast progress at quarterback (six games of 300 yards passing and/or three TDs in 2012). Unfortunately, this likely won't be a Patriots-esque scenario ... where both tight ends develop into certifiable stars.
5. Three teams were not represented in the countdown — the Jets (Jeff Cumberland), Browns (Jordan Cameron) and Raiders (Richard Gordon).
6. The Denver tight ends (Tamme, Dreessen) will likely be red-zone window dressing for a Broncos juggernaut that already has Demaryius Thomas, Eric Decker, Wes Welker, Willis McGahee and a goal-line stud in rookie tailback Montee Ball.
