Week 3 Shuffle: Tight End

Listed are the Top 25 TEs for the upcoming week.  Rankings are based on the projected mean performance without any specific team context on who you should start.  Sometimes you need to start the lower of two players due to upside or a high floor, so things are fluid.  As always, players can move up or down as we approach kickoff.  So please indulge yourself & dissect our list from top to bottom.  Let's Go!

Tier 1:
1. Jimmy Graham vs ARI
2. Greg Olsen vs NYG
3. Jermichael Finley @CIN
4. Brandon Myers @CAR
5. Tony Gonzalez @MIA
6. Jason Witten vs STL
7. Owen Daniels @BAL
8. Julius Thomas vs OAK
9. Jordan Cameron @MIN
10. Antonio Gates vs TEN
11. Jared Cook @DAL
12. Martellus Bennett @PIT

 - Last week Graham reminded the world why he was in a class by himself on draft day.  Olsen & Finley are both dealing with friendly secondaries and should be deployed with safe floors in mind.  Thomas, Cameron & Cook all the first tier tight ends with the lowest floor.  No one quite sure where Julius fits into the Broncos offense long-term.  Cameron is dealing with a QB change and the first road game of the year, which isn't the ideal fit for someone looking for a safe floor.  Cook owners saw his floor last week with only 1 catch for 10 yards.  Still, given the lack of overall depth at the position these guys should started in most formats.

Tier 2:
13. Rob Gronkowski vs TB
14. Kyle Rudolph vs CLE
15. Vernon Davis vs IND
16. Charles Clay vs ATL
17. Jermaine Gresham vs GB
18. Heath Miller vs CHI
19. Tyler Eifert vs GB
20. Jordan Reed vs DET
21. Garrett Graham @BAL
22. Brent Celek vs KC
23. Kellen Winslow vs BUF
24. Coby Fleener @SF
25. Zach Sudfeld vs TB

- Gronk's ranking is speculative of him playing the maximum possible snaps Belicheck will allow.  Don't expect his initial deployment to be immediate fantasy rewards, they'll probably be a one week ease back into the offense with the Patriots not wanting a repeat of last year.  Vernon Davis and his hamstring issues see him crash in the rankings.  He was never a safe play last year and there is no reason to treat him like one this week.  Eifert & Reed are two nice upside plays with good matchups, but starting rookie TEs is never the smart bet.  Fleener should be a TE1 the rest of the season with Dwayne Allen done for the year, but he isn't being treated like one this week.  Sudfeld is still a nice speculative play even if Gronk plays, but he needs to suit up too.

Check out all our Week 2 Rankings: QB RB WR TE LB DL DB K D/ST


As always, read & discuss.  You can reach me on Twitter @ClevRocks_James or comment your (dis)agreements below.