Fantasy football: Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce top Week 9 tight end rankings

Nov. 5 (UPI) -- Rob Gronkowski, Travis Kelce, Noah Fant, Evan Engram and Darren Waller lead my Week 9 fantasy football tight end rankings for 2020.

Mark Andrews, Jared Cook, Eric Ebron, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki round out my Top 10 options at the position. Greg Olsen and Irv Smith Jr. are among my favorite sleepers this week.

Monitor the status for each of your players' games this week as the coronavirus pandemic continues to impact the NFL schedule. Philadelphia Eagles, Los Angeles Rams, Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals players should be removed from all starting lineups, as those teams have Week 9 byes.

Check out my weekly waiver wire article for candidates to add to your roster before your Week 9 matchup.

Here are some of my favorite players in this week's Top 20 rankings:

TOP SHELF

Rob Gronkowski and Tom Brady appear to have rekindled their on-field connection as members of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers organization. Gronkowski has scored in three consecutive games and is the No. 3 tight end in fantasy football over the last four weeks.

Gronkowski is my top tight end this week as the Buccaneers battle the New Orleans Saints on Sunday Night Football. The Saints have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

I also expect New Orleans to focus more on Mike Evans, Antonio Brown and the Buccaneers running game than stopping Gronkowski, which should give the veteran tight end plenty of chances to produce fantasy points.

Denver Broncos tight end Noah Fant also has a great Week 9 matchup. The Broncos face an Atlanta Falcons defense that has allowed the most fantasy points per game and a league-high eight touchdowns to tight ends.

Fant is my No. 3 tight end for Week 9. I expect the Broncos tight end to post at least 60 receiving yards and score his first touchdown of the season on Sunday in Atlanta.

SNEAKY PLAYS

New York Giants tight end Evan Engram has started to get more involved in the team's offense. Engram was targeted 10 times for five catches and 61 yards in Week 8. This week, the Giants battle a Washington Football Team that has allowed the eighth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Engram is my No. 4 option. I expect the Giants tight end to haul in at least six catches for 50 yards and a score on Sunday in Landover, Md.

Miami Dolphins tight end Mike Gesicki was targeted just twice last week in quarterback Tua Tagovailoa's first career start.

He also failed to make a catch in Week 6 before the team's Week 7 bye. I expect the Dolphins to work on the Gesicki-Tagovailoa connection this week when the rookie quarterback plays in his first road game against the Arizona Cardinals.

The Cardinals have allowed just two touchdown passes to tight ends this season, but Gesicki should see enough targets in the red zone to serve as a solid fantasy football streamer. I expect the Dolphins tight end -- my No. 10 option -- to snag at least five catches for 50 yards and a touchdown on Sunday in Glendale, Ariz.

LONGSHOTS

Veteran tight end Greg Olsen failed to catch any of his four targets in Week 8. He should have much more success in Week 9 when the Seattle Seahawks face a Buffalo Bills defense that has allowed the third-most receiving yards and fifth-most fantasy points per game to tight ends.

Olsen is my No. 14 option.

Irv Smith Jr. of the Minnesota Vikings is my No. 15 play and is a solid tight end streamer or bye week fill in. Smith has a great shot to catch his first touchdown pass of the season in Week 9, when the Vikings host a Detroit Lions team in a game with shootout potential.

Week 9 fantasy football tight end rankings

1. Rob Gronkowski, Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. NO

2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs vs. CAR

3. Noah Fant, Denver Broncos at ATL

4. Evan Engram, New York Giants at WAS

5. Darren Waller, Las Vegas Raiders at LAC

6. Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens at IND

7. Jared Cook, New Orleans Saints at TB

8. Eric Ebron, Pittsburgh Steelers at DAL

9. Hunter Henry, Los Angeles Chargers vs. LV

10. Mike Gesicki, Miami Dolphins at ARI

11. Jonnu Smith, Tennessee Titans vs. CHI

12. T.J. Hockenson, Detroit Lions at MIN

13. Jimmy Graham, Chicago Bears at TEN

14. Greg Olsen, Seattle Seahawks at BUF

15. Irv Smith Jr., Minnesota Vikings vs. DET

16. Darren Fells, Houston Texans at JAX

17. Dalton Schultz, Dallas Cowboys vs. PIT

18. Hayden Hurst, Atlanta Falcons vs. DEN

19. Logan Thomas, Washington Football Team vs. NYG

20. Trey Burton, Indianapolis Colts vs. BAL