As you know, tight-ends are making one of the biggest impacts in professional offenses as well as fantasy football. But, as far as significant changes in the fantasy football tight-end rankings, there are only two among the top twelve, one due to injury and one due to a performance concern. However, there are several TE2s that are turning some heads.
If you want to read our more detailed analysis from our last tight-end rankings, see our previous article. This week, we will only update our analysis to the extent something about the tight-end ranks has changed, or if something about the tight-end ranks is worth mentioning. Of course, the rankings could change again, in part due to injuries, and in part due to developments in training camps and pre-season games. However, the fourth game of the pre-season is the game that is for those players fighting for the one of the last few roster spots. Players starting this weekend are likely to be the Week 1 starters for their respective teams.
As a reminder, “SOS” is the relative strength of schedule as noted in our favorable/unfavorable schedules by position (through Week 16). You can view players with favorable schedules by position or view players with unfavorable schedules by position. While strength of schedule does not suggest how a player will play over the course of a season, it may be something to consider when deciding between two players of similar value, in fantasy football drafts.
As usual, please don’t forget to post your comments and questions in the chat box below. They are very much appreciated and will be responded to.
| Player, Team | SOS | Player, Team | SOS | |||
| 1 | Jimmy Graham, Saints | 1 | 19 | Kyle Rudolph, Vikings | 13 | |
| 2 | Rob Gronkowski, Patriots | 16 | 20 | Lance Kendricks, Rams | 2 | |
| 3 | Antonio Gates, Chargers | 20 | 21 | Greg Olsen, Panthers | 4 | |
| 4 | *Jason Witten, Cowboys | 14 | 22 | Ed Dickson, Ravens | 25 | |
| 5 | Aaron Hernandez, Patriots | 16 | 23 | Scott Chandler, Bills | 31 | |
| 6 | Brandon Pettigrew, Lions | 7 | 24 | Zach Miller, Seahawks | 9 | |
| 7 | Vernon Davis, 49ers | 28 | 25 | Kevin Boss, Chiefs | 19 | |
| 8 | J. Finley, Packers | 21 | 26 | Martellus Bennett, Giants | 6 | |
| 9 | Tony Gonzalez, Falcons | 12 | 27 | Anthony Fasano, Dolphins | 17 | |
| 10 | Fred Davis, Redskins | 29 | 28 | Marcedes Lewis, Jaguars | 18 | |
| 11 | Jacob Tamme, Broncos | 32 | 29 | Kellen Winslow, Seahawks | 9 | |
| 12 | Brent Celek, Eagles | 15 | 30 | Dwayne Allen, Colts | 4 | |
| 13 | Jared Cook, Titans | 8 | 31 | Evan Rodriguez, Bears | 10 | |
| 14 | Dallas Clark, Buccaneers | 22 | 32 | Heath Miller, Steelers | 26 | |
| 15 | Coby Fleener, Colts | 4 | 33 | Kellen Davis, Bears | 10 | |
| 16 | Owen Daniels, Texans | 5 | 34 | Ben Watson, Browns | 23 | |
| 17 | Dustin Keller, Jets | 30 | 35 | Drake Dunsmore, Buccaneers | 22 | |
| 18 | J. Gresham, Bengals | 11 | 36 | Evan Moore, Browns | 23 |
Jason Witten suffered what appears to be a low-grade spleen injury that does not require surgery. The typical treatment for this type of low-grade injury for healing is rest. Witten is to see a doctor on Tuesday. Reports are that there is a 50-50 chance that Witten will miss the fist week of the regular season. If that’s the only week Witten misses, isn’t Witten still worth a TE1 designation? Of course. Much like our evaluation of Maurice Jones-Drew, you have to assess your own risk level as to what chances you are willing to take and then live with the consequences. If Witten should fall to you in your fantasy football draft, understand there are at least three to six more tight-ends ranked right behind him with slightly less than comparable value. You can draft one of them. However, at some point, a fantasy footballer will have to draft Witten, and hopefully, hand-cuff him with either a solid TE2 or hand-cuff him with the next best Cowboys TE. See the depth charts. In the past four seasons, Witten has posted no less than 942 yards receiving and topped 1,000 yards two times. There is no reason to believe Witten should not post yardage in that range with around 5 touchdowns in 2012. But for spleen injury, Jason Witten has missed only one game since 2003, that’s in 144 games. The Fantasy Greek likes Jason Witten in Round 6 of fantasy football drafts. By the way, Cowboys back-up TE John Phillips has looked great in the pre-season. So, Phillips makes for a logical handcuff forWitten for fantasy footballers with very large rosters, if so inclined.