Fantasy Football Rankings 2018: Top 20 players at each position

Tight Ends

1. Rob Gronkowski

Gronk is the most dominant player at the tight end position, and may be qualified to take the throne as most dominant to ever play the position. Gronk gears up for another year with Tom Brady to form one of the deadliest duos in all of football. The only thing that can stop him are his own injuries, which he’s battled his entire career.

2. Travis Kelce

Kelce does everything Gronk can do, just to lesser extents and in a Chiefs uniform. Kelce has asserted himself as the second best tight end in football behind Gronkowski, but will only be carried by how far Patrick Mahomes will take the offense.

3. Zach Ertz

Ertz hasn’t gotten quite the notoriety as the two players listed above, but his name should be in the conversation when deciding what tight end should go off the board first. Ertz has become the favorite target in Philly, regardless of who is throwing the ball.

4. Greg Olsen

Cam Newton gets his number one target back in 2018 with Greg Olsen. Olsen is the only tight end to have three consecutive 1000 yard seasons, thanks in-part to the trust Newton has developed with him. Fully expect Olsen to rebound from his foot injury last season and get back on track.

5. Jimmy Graham

During his days as a Saint, Jimmy Graham was just as dominant as Gronk. Fast forward to modern day, where Graham is again paired with an elite passing quarterback in a role that should fit him well (Not that Wilson isn’t elite, the system just didn’t work for Graham). Some aren’t as high as yours truly, but I’ll take Graham’s talent paired with the likes of Rodgers every day of the week.

6. Delanie Walker

Delanie Walker is just about as reliable as they come. Walker has seen over 100 targets the last four seasons, and it’s expected Mariota will heavily rely on him again in 2018. Walker is tremendous mid-round pick for the position.

7. Evan Engram

Engram’s athleticism for a tight end is out of this world. Evan was targeted 115 times last season and converted six of those to touchdowns. The re-addition of Odell Beckham to the offense will see Engram’s production dip undoubtedly, but the upside is there for Engram to again finish as a top-6 tight end.

8. Jordan Reed

Jordan Reed has been nothing short of fantastic…when he’s actually healthy. Reed has battled a myriad of injuries, not having played a full season to date. Alex Smith arrives to Washington in hopes of keeping a strong QB-TE connection, and should Reed be able to stay healthy, he will finish as one of the top scorers at this position.

9. Jack Doyle

Doyle is beloved in the fantasy community as a gem when paired with Andrew Luck, given the quarterback’s success when Doyle is present and active. Even without Luck, Doyle made the Pro-Bowl last season and could see his best season to date.

10. Kyle Rudolph

Rudolph quietly finds himself in the second tier of tight ends. It will be interesting to find how Cousins works with Rudolph, especially after Cousins played with Jordan Reed for a number of years. Eight touchdowns were brought in by Rudolph last season, and with Cousins ready to throw the ball every which way possible, Rudolph may be a late round pick that could pay dividends.

11. Trey Burton

Fantasy football experts, players and aficionados alike sing the high praises of Trey Burton. After playing second fiddle to Zach Ertz, Burton moves to the windy city with a mastermind of an offensive coordinator and a second year quarterback, a recipe for targets upon targets at the tight end position. Is Burton the real deal, or simply hype? The Windy City won’t be afraid to tell us.

12. David Njoku

Njoku is no joke with the right quarterback. New arrival Tyrod Taylor made Charles Clay somewhat effective, so the hope is with Njoku’s upside, Taylor will be able to turn him into a viable fantasy option from week to week. David has the rare athleticism at the tight end position that can make him a must-play on almost a weekly basis.

13. Hayden Hurst

The first round pick injects youth into a tight end position in Baltimore that needs the playmaking abilities Hurst possesses. Despite rookie tight ends not being extremely relevant historically, Hurst’s upside is too sweet to pass up on in the later rounds. (Note: His injury that came to light on Friday, Aug. 24 is worth keeping an eye on.)

14. Tyler Eifert

Remember when Eifert had 13 touchdowns in 2015? He’s had five since then, appearing in ten games in the two years that have followed due to injuries. With Eifert on the border of being healthy again, the hope is Andy Dalton will be able to connect with him in the red-zone like the good ol days.

15. Austin Hooper

Hooper has the great fun of trying to amount targets in an offense that features Julio Jones among many other threats. Hooper hasn’t looked good nor bad, it’s simply the usage rate of how the Falcons use him. Hooper offers some upside, but it would be a surprise to see him end up in the top 12 in 2018.

16. George Kittle

Kittle is seemingly everybody’s favorite fantasy sleeper. Jimmy Garoppolo has boosted everybody around him, at least for fantasy football expectations. Kittle is currently slated to be out for the rest of the preseason with a shoulder injury, but upon his return could easily be Jimmy G’s go-to target. What’s holding Kittle back here at 17? Health.

17. Austin Seferian-Jenkins

If Kittle is a sleeper, Austin Seferian-Jenkins won’t be woken up. ASJ had his brief moment in the spotlight before being dragged back and forth between Tampa Bay and New York. He now finds himself in Jacksonville, where Blake Bortles will look for new targets after losing Allen Robinson and Allen Hurns to free agency.

18. Vance McDonald

McDonald’s athleticism is precisely what the Steelers coveted when they traded for him last season. Between splitting snaps with Jesse James and having one of the highest drop rates at his position, McDonald has yet to truly separate himself. The potential is there for McDonald to be a plug-and-play tight end, but don’t expect production until Roethlisberger trusts him.

19. O.J. Howard

Six touchdowns are to Howard’s name, but the juice hasn’t gotten quite loose in Tampa Bay. Cameron Brate splitting time with Howard shows the Bucs still value both players, but Howard still owns the upside with his frame and ability.

20. Charles Clay

In Clay’s three years as a Bill, he has yet to top 600 receiving yards or five touchdowns, respectively. The only thing keeping Clay alive in a run-heavy offense is the prospect of new quarterback Josh Allen. Will Allen be able to revitalize the Bills and Clay?