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Fantasy Football 2016: Top 25 tight end rankings

By Alex Butler
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) warms up on the field before facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on January 16, 2016. Photo by Kelvin Ma/ UPI
1 of 4 | New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski (87) warms up on the field before facing the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC Divisional Playoff game at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts on January 16, 2016. Photo by Kelvin Ma/ UPI | License Photo

MIAMI, Aug. 29 (UPI) -- Fantasy football's forgotten position can give you a weekly edge against your opponent.

When you draft a tight end, you are usually best served to pick an elite guy early or be one of the last teams to select one. Depending on your league format, you might not need to draft the position at all.

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That is why, at UPI, we have ranked our top 25 tight ends for your 2016 fantasy football draft kit.

SCROLL DOWN FOR TOP 25

For clarity, here are some of the best tight ends to look out for in five separate tiers, as well as some unheralded sleepers.

HALL OF FAME

1. Rob Gronkowski

The Gronk deserves his own tier, because he has cemented himself as one of the greatest tight end talents of all-time. When you draft Gronkowski early, you might have a tough time crafting a balanced roster, but he will consistently put up rock-solid numbers. That consistently is exactly what you need in a first round pick. While Gronkowski will be without Tom Brady for the first four games of the season due to a suspension, don't expect a suspension in his production.

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Yes, Gronkowski and Brady have a special relationship, allowing them to mesh together form an assault of explosive fantasy weeks, but don't sleep on Jimmy Garoppolo using him as a safety net. Expect another year of double digit touchdowns and a barrage of Gronk-spikes in 2016. Gronkowski, who scored 11 times in 2015, has scored 10 or more touchdowns in every season when he has started 10 or more games. He has 65 touchdowns in six seasons with the New England Patriots.

ALL-PRO

2. Jordan Reed, 3. Travis Kelce, 4. Greg Olsen

Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed showed what he can do if healthy in 2015. Sadly, that health stint didn't last long. The 26-year-old scored 11 touchdowns in 14 games last season. Maybe even more impressive? He had 114 targets and 87 receptions in the shortened season. Look for Kirk Cousins to stare down his favorite target all season. Out of the three tight ends in this class, Reed has the best chance to put up Gronk-like numbers.

SCROLL DOWN FOR TOP 25

PRO-BOWL

5. Tyler Eifert, 7. Gary Barnidge

Cincinnati Bengals tight end Tyler Eifert and Cleveland Browns tight end Gary Barnidge should key pieces in very pass-friendly offenses this season. Eifert will definitely slip in your draft, due to an injury that will keep him out for more than a month. He still is very much worth taking in the late rounds if you can grab a replacement level pass catcher even later in your draft. The 25-year-old Notre Dame product scored 13 touchdowns in 13 games in 2015. The Pro Bowl had 74 targets and 52 receptions for 615 yards in those games. When Eifert returns from his ankle injury, he should offer high TE1 production, especially in the red zone.

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Barnidge has all of the skill and size of a big-time tight end. The 30-year-old broke out last season with nine touchdowns and 1,043 yards in Cleveland. Now he should be a benefactor of new coach Hue Jackson's offensive mind. The Browns have a plethora of speedy receivers outside and will be willing to spread the ball around. Look for Barnidge to come close to his 125-target 2015 as a safety net for Robert Griffin III.

JUST NAPPING [EARLY TO MID-ROUND SLEEPERS]

8. Julius Thomas, 9. Antonio Gates, 12. Jimmy Graham

This trio was once considered wide awake. At one point in time, fantasy football fans were tossing around the idea of who to draft first: Jimmy Graham or Gronkowski.

But changes of scenery, age, and systems have change, and so has their value.

Julius Thomas followed up back to back 12 touchdown seasons in Denver with a five touchdown campaign in 2015. He played in 12 games, catching 46 passes for 455 yards.

Antonio Gates is 36-years-old. Luckily, he still plays with Philip Rivers. In 11 games last season, Gates netted 56 receptions, for 630 yards, and five touchdowns. In 2014, Gates grabbed 12 touchdowns in a full season. If Gates can play 14-plus games, look for him to hit around eight touchdowns and 75 receptions in his 14th season with the Chargers.

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Graham was a bit of a dud last season after a blockbuster trade sent him to the Seattle Seahawks. After four consecutive seasons of nine or more touchdowns, Graham scored just twice in 11 games in 2015. He is currently recovering from knee surgery, but could be ready for the season opener.

Expect one member of this trio to close in on top-5 tight end production in fantasy football this season. While Thomas probably is the safest option of the three, he also is the least exciting. If you are willing to take a risk, grab one of these guys and pair him with a later round selection to hedge your bet.

DRIFTING OFF [MID TO LATE-ROUND SLEEPERS]

13. Jason Witten, 15. Charles Clay, 16. Martellus Bennett, 19. Dwayne Allen, 21. Jared Cook

RANK NAME TEAM BYE WEEK
1 Rob Gronkowski New England Patriots 9
2 Jordan Reed Washington Redskins 9
3 Travis Kelce Kansas City Chiefs 5
4 Greg Olsen Carolina Panthers 7
5 Tyler Eifert Cincinnati Bengals 9
6 Delanie Walker Tennessee Titans 13
7 Gary Barnidge Cleveland Browns 13
8 Julius Thomas Jacksonville Jaguars 5
9 Antonio Gates San Diego Chargers 11
10 Zach Ertz Philadelphia Eagles 4
11 Coby Fleener New Orleans Saints 5
12 Jimmy Graham Seattle Seahawks 5
13 Jason Witten Dallas Cowboys 7
14 Zach Miller Chicago Bears 9
15 Charles Clay Buffalo Bills 10
16 Martellus Bennett New England Patriots 9
17 Eric Ebron Detroit Lions 10
18 Ladarius Green Pittsburgh Steelers 8
19 Dwayne Allen Indianapolis Colts 10
20 Jordan Cameron Miami Dolphins 8
21 Jared Cook Green Bay Packers 4
22 Clive Walford Oakland Raiders 10
23 Kyle Rudolph Minnesota Vikings 6
24 Austin Seferian-Jenkins Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6
25 Vance McDonald San Francisco 49ers 8
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