2013 Fantasy Football Week 1 Rankings: Top 20 Tight Ends

The start of the NFL season is just days away, meaning fantasy owners are trying to figure out who to start and who to sit. 

Let’s kick off our weekly rankings with a look at the top 20 tight ends:

1. Jimmy Graham, New Orleans Saints, vs. Atlanta
2. Jason Witten, Dallas Cowboys, vs. New York Giants
3. Tony Gonzalez, Atlanta Falcons, at New Orleans
4. Vernon Davis, San Francisco 49ers, vs. Green Bay
5. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers, vs. Seattle
6. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers, vs. Houston
7. Jermichael Finley, Green Bay Packers, at San Francisco
8. Brandon Myers, New York Giants, at Dallas
9. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings, at Detroit
10. Brent Celek, Philadelphia Eagles, at Washington
11. Zach Sudfeld, New England Patriots, at Buffalo
12. Jared Cook, St. Louis Rams, vs. Arizona
13. Martellus Bennett, Chicago Bears, vs. Cincinnati
14. Fred Davis, Washington Redskins, vs. Philadelphia
15. Owen Daniels, Houston Texans, at San Diego
16. Jordan Cameron, Cleveland Browns, vs. Miami
17. Ed Dickson, Baltimore Ravens, at Denver
18. Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati Bengals, at Chicago
19. Scott Chandler, Buffalo Bills, vs. New England
20. Dwayne Allen, Indianapolis Colts, vs. Oakland

Here are some thoughts:

• In the second meeting of 2012 between the Cowboys and Giants, Jason Witten reeled in 18 catches for 167 yards.  While we can’t expect that type of production, Witten does figure to be more utilized in the red zone in 2013 and has consistently proven he’s one of the most targeted tight ends in the league.  In other words, he’s going to be one of the top options most weeks.
• The 49ers and Packers could easily turn into a shootout, and that should mean good things for Vernon Davis (with Michael Crabtree out).  He figures to be either the first or second option for Colin Kaepernick, which should lead to some big numbers.
• While we are skeptical about Antonio Gates over the course of the entire season—and rightfully so—he’s healthy right now and should be the go-to receiver for Philip Rivers.
• Brent Celek saw his stock rise during the preseason, with seven receptions for 70 yards and a touchdown and a growing role in the offense.  Celek would appear to be a good flier if you need a plug-in for someone like Rob Gronkowski in the opening week.
• Speaking of Gronkowski, Zach Sudfeld figures to play a major role in the Patriots offense in Week 1, but you never really know what the Patriots are going to do.  He’s a viable option, but it’s hard to predict big things until we actually see him doing it in the regular season.  That doesn’t mean he’s not going to produce; it just means we should be realistic until we get a better feel for how he will be unleashed.
• With Victor Cruz missing time this preseason and Hakeem Nicks and Eli Manning seemingly not on the same page, Brandon Myers could easily step in and produce.  While others may shy away due to him being dubbed the king of garbage time last season, don’t be afraid to get him into your lineup.

Make sure to check out all of our Week 1 rankings:

• Top 25 Quarterbacks
• Top 40 Running Backs
• Top 50 Wide Receivers
• Top 15 Defenses