Jason Witten and the 10 Best Tight Ends in the NFL

Often forgotten but always appreciated, the tight end position in football is a delicate mix of lineman and receiver. 

The versatile tight ends are expected to block incoming defenders and also run sharp routes down the field and get open. It's often said that the tight ends are some of the most athletic players on the field. 

There are a few star tight ends in the league (Jason Witten, Antonio Gates, Dallas Clark), but besides those few, most of the tight ends are not household names. That doesn't mean that they aren't invaluable, of course. 

Here are the 15 best tight ends in the NFL. 

10. Rob Gronkowski

Rob Gronkowski is only heading into his second year in the league, yet he has already established himself as one of the most effective tight ends. 

He had over 500 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns last season, and that was with splitting time with Aaron Hernandez!

Gronkowski's huge size of 6'6" and 265 pounds will surely give him the upper hand over Hernandez moving forward in New England. 

9. Kellen Winslow

Looking at Kellen Winslow's numbers, you may consider him to be a bust. The former Miami University standout has never put up the stellar numbers that people expected him to when he was drafted by the Cleveland Browns. 

Over the past two years in Tampa Bay, however, he has shown improved stats in a system that is better suited for a tight end. 

With Josh Freeman growing as a passer, I think Winslow could have his best season to date and show everyone all of his potential. 

8. Owen Daniels

Owen Daniels is one of the most classic tight ends in the league. By this, I mean that he is a very built: 6'3", 240. He has the ability to make blocks both on the line and in the backfield and also run patterns and catch passes. Due to his size, he can bulldozer defenders like any good fullback. 

Daniels doesn't get the most passes thrown his way in Houston, but he does his job as good as any despite a few injuries. Daniels is the tight end that any team wants. 

7. Mercedes Lewis

After four very quiet seasons, Mercedes Lewis blew up in his fifth year last year and became a red-zone machine. He collected 58 receptions, 700 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. 

The difference? Maybe that the Jacksonville Jaguars have arguably the worst receiving squad in all of football. 

Things may be worse for Jacksonville this year but even better for Mercedes Lewis, as Mike Sims-Walker—the only real receiver worth noting on the Jaguars last season—is now a St. Louis Ram. Lewis will remain Jacksonville's most reliable (and basically only) target. 

6. Zach Miller

Like Owen Daniels and the Oakland Raiders' Kevin Boss (who was just omitted from this list at No. 11), Zach Miller is a very classic tight end. 

In four NFL seasons, Miller has been very consistent. He holds his blocks, uses his strength and size as an advantage and catches a lot of short-but-important catches. He has 44, 56, 66 and 60 receptions in his four NFL seasons. 

Miller is now on the Seattle Seahawks, and his contemporary, Kevin Boss, is now filling his role on the Oakland Raiders. Expect them both to have good seasons once again. 

5. Dallas Clark

Some readers may want to see Dallas Clark higher on this list, but No. 5 is in no way meant to be a diss to the Indianapolis Colt. 

Clark is an amazing receiver, and despite the fact that his stats should rank him higher than No. 5, his blocking ability puts him at this spot on the list. 

In the Colts system, Clark doesn't need to hold a lot of blocks, but in another system, I'd have to see him utilize this skill to believe it. 

4. Jermichael Finley

The Green Bay Packers tight end was unfortunately injured for most of the Packers Super Bowl season last year, but his return will be greatly noticed and appreciated. 

Jermichael Finley is a huge target for Aaron Rodgers. He's got great size, strength and hands. I've never seen a big man lay out to make a catch as well as Finley. 

For fantasy owners out there, Finley could be overlooked at the draft and could be a late-round steal!

3. Vernon Davis

Possibly the best blocking tight end in the league, Vernon Davis is also one of the best receiving tight ends as well. 

The past two seasons, with the very average Alex Smith throwing him the ball, Davis has racked up just under 1,000 receiving yards and 20 touchdowns. 

If he was on a better team, I can only imagine what stats he would be capable of. Definitely one of the league's most elite players at his position. 

2. Jason Witten

A small margin separates Jason Witten and the No. 1-ranked tight end in the NFL. 

Witten is everything you want out of a tight end and then some. He has great size, holds blocks like a lineman and is as effective as most receivers. 

In eight NFL seasons, Witten only had one year, his rookie season, when he had under 700 receiving yards. Witten's only setback is that, at times, he struggles to find the endzone. 

Nonetheless, Witten is better than every tight end in the league except...

1. Antonio Gates

Antonio Gates, the best tight end that the NFL has to offer right now. 

Gates' career has been amazing. In eight NFL seasons, he has over 7,000 receiving yards and 69 touchdowns. Those are great numbers for some of the league's most talented wide receivers. 

Gates' strongest attribute is obviously his ability to find the end zone. He's had at least eight touchdowns in all of his NFL seasons minus his rookie year, and in 2004, he scored 13 TDs. 

The touchdowns are what really set Gates apart from Jason Witten and every other tight end in the league. At 6'4", 260, Gates is one tough guy to defend, and his agility does not match his size. He's as nimble with a wide receiver and has as good of hands. And it is for this reason that Gates is in a league of his own. 

Joe Rapolla Jr. lives, breathes, and eats fantasy football. Looking for advice? Check out his website at http://whoneedsreality.com, email him at [e-mail], or follow him on Twitter for all the best fantasy football advice and updates!