Week Nine Fantasy Football: Tight End Rankings

Week Eight saw some familiar faces leading the pack at the tight-end position. Dallas Clark, who hauled in 11 TDs in 2007, nabbed his first two of the 2008 season in the Colts' Week Eight Monday night loss to the Titans for 22 points.

Meanwhile, Antonio Gates had a solid 96 yard and one TD outing for 15 fantasy points, and Tony Gonzalez continued to excel, despite the Chiefs' quarterback woes, tallying 13 fantasy points on the day. Who will come out on top in Week Nine? Read the Bruno Boys Fantasy Football Week Nine Tight-End Rankings to find out.

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1. Greg Olsen (Chicago Bears) vs. Detroit

Prior to the Bears' Week Eight bye, Olsen saw eight targets in Week Seven against the Minnesota Vikings, hauling in six of them for 74 yards and a TD. It was Olsen's best day as a pro and another indication that the Bears' tight end has the potential to be something special in this league.

Look for Olsen to put up another big day in this one against the Lions and their 31st ranked pass defense.
Point Projection: 13 points

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2. Dallas Clark (Indianapolis Colts) vs. New England

For all those owners that selected Dallas Clark in their fantasy drafts this season, based on his 11 TDs in 2007, it had been a tough first seven weeks of football, as Clark had not found pay dirt.

But then, Week Eight came, and Clark crossed the goal line, not once, but twice. With Peyton Manning under center, the potential for points is always there. Look for the two to connect for at least one score in Week Nine.
Point Projection: 11 points

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3. Owen Daniels (Houston Texans) @ Minnesota 

Daniels' followed up his best performance of the year, an 18-point effort in Week Seven, with his worst, a two-point outing in Week Eight. That will happen when your quarterback has so many options to go to.

But, if you own Daniels, he has to be in your fantasy lineups. Matt Schaub is on fire at the moment, going for over 260 passing yards in each of the team's last four games, along with nine passing TDs in that span. The potential for points is there, and Daniels should capitalize against the Vikings.
Point Projection: 11 points

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4. Zach Miller (Oakland Raiders) vs. Atlanta

As predicted by the Bruno Boys prior to the season, Miller has developed into a nice crutch for quarterback JaMarcus Russell. That role has allowed Miller to put up consistently decent weeks, with the potential for the big game, as evidenced by his 15 point, Week-Four effort.

The Falcons are giving up 232.9 passing yards per game and have allowed 10 passing TDs on the year. With that being the case, there's a good chance Miller can have one of his big days this Sunday.
Point Projection: 11 points 

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5. Jason Witten (Dallas Cowboys) @ New York Giants 

Witten bruised his ribs in Week Eight against the Bucs, causing the tight end to leave the game with just one catch for eight yards. The good news is that x-rays came up negative. You know with all the other injuries the Cowboys are dealing with, they'll look to make sure Witten is good to go this Sunday in a huge matchup with the New York Giants, a team he's averaging 68.25 yards per game against through their last four meetings.
Point Projection: 11 points

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6. Tony Scheffler (Denver Broncos) vs. Miami

The bye week should have been just what Scheffler needed to get his groin ready to go. Expect to see the Broncos' tight end back on the field in Week Nine, in what appears to be a favorable matchup against the Dolphins' 25th-ranked pass defense, a team that's allowing 233.3 passing yards per game.
Point Projection: 10 points

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7. Tony Gonzalez (Kansas City Chiefs) vs. Tampa Bay 

With so many tight ends struggling this season, it's a thing of beauty for Gonzalez's owners that the tight end is still able to be productive, despite all the quarterback woes the Chiefs have had to deal with this season.

Even in a tough matchup with the seventh ranked Bucs' pass defense, Gonzo needs to be in your lineup. He's shown all season long that he can beat the odds; why doubt him now?
Point Projection: Nine points

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8. Visanthe Shiancoe (Minnesota Vikings) vs. Houston

Two things have helped Shiancoe develop as a solid fantasy tight end option this season. One is the fact that Gus Frerotte was handed the team's starting quarterback job. The second is the top notch play by Bernard Berrian in recent weeks. With teams having to focus more of their attention on stopping Berrian on the outside, more of the middle of the field is open for Shiancoe to work with, something he took advantage of during his Week Seven, 12-point outing.
Point Projection: Nine points

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9. Heath Miller (Pittsburgh Steelers) @ Washington 

For one reason or another, Big Ben seems to have forgotten about Miller, targeting the tight end just four times in Week Eight, despite Santonio Holmes' absence. It's a good thing Miller has hauled in 80.7 percent of the balls thrown his way, allowing him to still put up some solid fantasy days.
Point Projection: Eight points

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10. L.J. Smith (Philadelphia Eagles) @ Seattle

If Smith can bounce back from a concussion he suffered in Week Eight against the Falcons, he could be a sleeper tight end play in Week Nine, as the Eagles will head to Seattle to take on a Seahawks' defense that ranks 30th against the pass.

Even Smith, who has struggled this season, should be able to do something against this defense, which is giving up 245.3 passing yards per game and has allowed 11 passing TDs on the year.
Point Projection: Eight points

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11. Chris Cooley (Washington Redskins) vs. Pittsburgh

Yes, the Steelers rank atop the league when it comes to pass defense, but they have allowed TDs to the likes of Kevin Boss, Marcedes Lewis, and Daniel Wilcox this season. If those guys can score against this tough D, there's no reason Cooley shouldn't be able to find pay dirt.
Point Projection: Eight points 

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12. Kellen Winslow (Cleveland Browns) vs. Baltimore 

Though the Browns rescinded the "suspension" levied on Kellen Winslow in Week Eight, that did little good for fantasy owners, as Winslow still missed the game. Winslow has been a disappointment thus far, ranking just 18th among tight ends, but Derek Anderson finally seems to be coming around, so perhaps Winslow could turn in some big games down the stretch; however, that will be hard to do in this one against the Ravens, who are allowing less than 180 pass yards per game.
Point Projection: Seven points

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13. Marcedes Lewis (Jacksonville Jaguars) @ Cincinnati

Lewis couldn't make it three weeks in a row with a score, as the tight end corralled three passes for 34 receiving yards. While his owners might be a bit upset that Lewis was kept out of the end zone in Week Eight, they should be happy to hear that the six targets he received were the most thrown his way all season long. It appears David Garrard is beginning to trust in Lewis just a bit more.
Point Projection: Seven points

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14. Desmond Clark (Chicago Bears) vs. Detroit 

As Olsen continues to mature, Clark will see his role in the passing game diminish; however, the blocking tight end has still managed to put up two straight 50+ yard games. He should make it three in a row against the Lions' weak pass defense.
Point Projection: Six points

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15. Bo Scaife (Tennessee Titans) vs. Green Bay 

The Green Bay Packers are allowing the eighth-most fantasy points to tight ends this year, giving up a healthy seven. Scaife should be able to exploit the Packers' weakness over the middle and turn in a solid fantasy day.
Point Projection: Six points

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Week Nine Fantasy Football Tight Ends Rankings