TE Rankings
- The top four tight ends are absolutely set up for a heavy workload in Week 1, and only Darren Waller‘s matchup is a concern. Waller is such an integral part of the Raiders offense, however, that I expect him to be leaned on heavily while fighting from behind against the Ravens.
- T.J. Hockenson just misses the elite tier, simply because of a matchup against the 49ers and the uncertainty of this new offense in Detroit. Will he be heavily targeted from the jump, or will everything take a back seat to the running game? Can Jared Goff put up the points needed for Hockenson to join the elite group ahead of him on a weekly basis? I suspect that we will know this answer quickly, and I would not surprised to see Hock join the four names above him on The List in Week 2.
- Among the fringe tight ends, I like Rob Gronkowski against Dallas, which gives him an excellent shot at a touchdown, and Austin Hooper against the Chiefs in a sneaky high-volume spot if Odell Beckham Jr. is eased into the offense a bit in Week 1. Both teams are projected to score plenty of points in the opener.
- I’m taking a wait-and-see approach to the Patriots’ tight ends in Week 1, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see Hunter Henry shoot up these rankings if he looks healthy and plays a full complement of snaps. The fear is that he is eased back in with Jonnu Smith available to carry the position this week.
Rank Column: Green=Strong Starter, Yellow=Solid Starter, Red=Look for Better Options
Week 1 TE Rankings