Fantasy Football: Week 3 Tight End Rankings

MIAMI, Sept. 21 (UPI) -- Tight end is becoming the premier position to stream in fantasy football.

If you decided to use an early round pick on New England Patriots' Rob Gronkowski or Washington's Jordan Reed, you are likely disappointed with how your season is going so far. With Gronkowski out with a hamstring injury and Reed's Redskins struggling, you could have already turned to lower-tier options.

To help you decide who to grab in free agency and start in your tight end slot this week, check out my top 20 tight end rankings. You can also look at my top add/drops for the week and visit other positional rankings, in the links below.

TOP SHELF

Marcus Mariota knows the recipe for a huge day against the Oakland Raiders in 2016: pass, pass, pass. The Raiders are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends through two games, setting up a great match up for Tennessee Titans target Delanie Walker. The Raiders allowed the second-most scores to the position in 2015. But the Raiders secondary doesn't just struggle with tight ends, it also leads the league in fantasy points allowed per game to wide receivers this season. Start Walker without hesitation and expect a big day. You aren't ever sitting Antonio Gates, but you should be ecstatic to own the San Diego Chargers tight end this week. Gates takes on the Indianapolis Colts and now is the main target on a team minus its best wide receiver and pass catching running back. I expect a ton of targets for the wily veteran in this battle of premiere quarterbacks.

SNEAKY PLAYS

Detroit Lions tight end Eric Ebron should also be a player benefiting from the absence of injured teammates. The Lions will be without dynamic playmaker Ameer Abdullah, in a plus-match up against the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have allowed a league-high three touchdowns to the position through two games. Baltimore Ravens stud Dennis Pitta looks great this season and should continue to find quarterback Joe Flacco on Sundays. I see Pitta pulling in another bounty of catches and coming close to the 12 targets he had in his Week 2 performance against the Cleveland Browns. Pitta pulled down nine of those targets for 102 yards last Sunday.

LONGSHOTS

New Orleans Saints' Coby Fleener has to come through for his owners at some point, right? This is as good of a week as any for that to happen. If you have been patient enough to hang on to the bayou newcomer, you could reap the rewards Sunday when Fleener battles the Atlanta Falcons. The Falcons are the worst team in the league at covering tight ends so far this season, allowing the most fantasy points per game to the position. The Falcons were also bad at that last season, allowing the fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends. Miami Dolphins tight end Jordan Cameron brought in a touchdown catch in a Week 2 loss to the New England Patriots. I think Cameron remains a red zone target for Ryan Tannehill in a winnable home game against the Browns. The Browns have allowed a league high 202 yards and 20 receptions to tight ends though two games.