The bye weeks are over and in most season-long leagues, it's the final week of the regular season. For many it's crunch time, this week is what it all comes down to, whether it's win and your in or win and earn a first-round bye, it's a must-win week.
Week 13's rankings will be unusual simply for the fact that Rob Gronkowski won't be on the list since he has been ruled out. The absence of Gronkowski leads to more fantasy questions at the position, with just a few trustworthy tight ends and the rest of the field having major questions of consistency. It's an important week to get it right and one great tool to use that eDraft offers is the "Fantasy Points Against" rankings, which show you how many points defenses allow to each position. In this case, fantasy points allowed to tight ends, can be a great tool to find different options at tight end.
With this tool at our disposal, let's take a look at our top-10 tight ends for Week 13.
1. Greg Olsen, Carolina Panthers @ New Orleans Saints
Projected Stats: Eight receptions, 91 yards and one touchdown
As Cam Newton's favorite target in the passing game, Olsen will have plenty of opportunities to take advantage of a New Orleans Saints defense that has allowed the second-most receiving yards (860) and touchdowns (10) to opposing tight ends this season.
Olsen was targeted nine times last week and only six the week before, showing the risk of what happens when the Panthers get up big in a blowout and turn away from their passing game. This matchup does carry that risk, but the Panthers should keep the foot on the gas for at least the first half with Olsen putting up his numbers early and delivering a crucial performance for fantasy teams.
2. Travis Kelce, Kansas City Chiefs @ Oakland Raiders
Projected Stats: Six receptions, 81 yards and one touchdown
Kelce has been frustrating at times this season. Everyone recognizes his talent, arguably the most gifted tight end behind Gronkowski, but the Chiefs have struggled at times to get him involved in the passing game. Kelce has five games this season with less than 50 receiving yards and finished November with just two touchdowns.
But while Kelce's stat lines have been frustrating at many times throughout the year, he has still been one of the best tight ends in fantasy and is coming off his best game since October 25. Kelce is set to square off against an Oakland Raiders defense that has struggled versus tight ends, having allowed the second-most fantasy points to the position this year. Kelce should see eight-to-nine targets in this game and with the great matchup that should be enough for 80 yards and a touchdown.
3. Delanie Walker, Tennessee Titans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars
Projected Stats: Eight receptions for 95 yards
Over the past two weeks, Walker has emerged as Marcus Mariota's go-to target, hauling in 18 targets for 14 receptions for 200 receiving yards. As Mariota has shown improvement and adjusted to the speed of the NFL, Walker has been there to help move the ball downfield and racking up yards.
In Week 13, Walker faces a Jaguars' defense that has allowed the third-most receiving yards (784) to tight ends this season. That fits right into what Walker does for fantasy owners, he racks up the yards by finding space over the middle, a perfect example is his 109 yards he picked up a few weeks ago against this same Jacksonville defense. Walker is locked in as a top-five tight end every week and the matchup makes him top-three this week.
4. Jordan Reed, Washington vs. Dallas Cowboys
Projected Stats: Five receptions, 46 yards and one touchdown
The return of DeSean Jackson has opened up the middle of the field as defenses now pay more attention to preventing Jackson from taking the top off the defense. It's great news for Reed who has 17 targets combined over the past two weeks, hauling in 14 receptions for 144 receiving yards.
Reed hasn't found the end zone in a few weeks, something that should change this week as Washington should find success moving the ball down the field and setting up opportunities for Reed in the red zone. Reed does offer the versatility to where he can be a big red-zone threat or rack up receiving yards, like he did last week with a 98-yard performance. Whatever he gives you, he is a top-five tight end every week.
5. Kyle Rudolph, Minnesota Vikings vs. Seattle Seahawks
Projected Stats: Seven receptions for 83 yards
Rudolph has become a bigger part of the Vikings' passing attack the last two weeks, seeing 19 targets total and combining for 13 receptions, 159 receiving yards and two touchdowns over that time. Rudolph, who was quiet for most of the season, enters Week 13 with a nice matchup against the Seahawks.
Seattle's defense isn't what it used to be and traveling on the road certainly takes away a little added part of their game with no home-field advantage. This season they have allowed the fourth-most receiving yards (771) and 11th-most touchdowns (seven) to opposing tight ends this year, making Rudolph an ideal play. With Minnesota in a fight for the NFC North and the offense finding more success, Rudolph offers top-five upside this week.
6. Scott Chandler, New England Patriots vs. Philadelphia Eagles:
Projected Stats: Eight receptions, 61 yards and one touchdown
With Gronkowski out of the lineup, Chandler is going to see a lot of work against the Eagles. Last week in a loss to the Denver Broncos, Chandler was targeted 11 times and that was in a game where Gronkowski played a significant amount before leaving with the injury.
Tom Brady is one of the greatest quarterbacks of all time and even if Chandler is nothing more than a big body, Brady can find a way to help him finish with a productive stat line. Chandler's going to be a big play in DFS this weekend given his bargain price, but he should be a top-10 tight end even in season-long leagues.
?7. Julius Thomas, Jacksonville Jaguars @ Tennessee Titans
Projected Stats: Six receptions, 54 yards and one touchdown
The Jaguars big free agent signing is starting to fit his role in this offense, developing a greater chemistry with Blake Bortles and starting to put up better numbers. With Allen Hurns out of the lineup, Thomas should see 10-plus targets in this game. While the Titans focus their efforts on trying to cover Allen Robinson, Thomas should pick up some nice yardage and a trip to the end zone.
8. Gary Barnidge, Cleveland Browns vs. Cincinnati Bengals
Projected Stats: Five receptions for 68 yards
Barnidge was a top-five play with Josh McCown, a quarterback who heavily relied upon him and made him his go-to for the offense. Now that McCown is out for the season and Austin Davis is stepping in, we don't know who will emerge as Davis' top target.
While the matchup isn't ideal, this is a game where the Browns could fall behind early and have to rely on the passing game to try and play catch up. It should result in at least six-to-eight targets for Barnidge and given how unpredictable tight ends can be, Barnidge offers you some safety for points.
9. Antonio Gates, San Diego Chargers vs. Denver Broncos
Projected Stats: Four receptions for 38 yards and one touchdown
Gates is entering a tough matchup and given how depleted the Chargers' offense is, Denver can have Chris Harris take away Stevie Johnson, Aqib Talib take away Dontrelle Inman and focus the rest of their defensive efforts on Gates.
It may not be a big day for 35-year-old, but San Diego just needs one trip to the red zone for Rivers to find his trusted tight end and hook up for the touchdown. If Gates can give you 30 yards and a score, that's a perfectly acceptable nine points at a position where you are thankful to get it.
10. Jacob Tamme, Atlanta Falcons @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Projected Stats: Six receptions for 61 yards
If Atlanta wants to turn their season around and start fighting for a wild card spot in the NFC, Matt Ryan needs to step up and take advantage of a suspect Buccaneers' secondary. That means relying heavily on Julio Jones and connecting on big plays early, then as Tampa Bay adjusts, connecting with Tamme over the middle of the field to move the chains.
Tamme isn't going to make any big plays and he isn't a high-volume tight end who will get 10-plus targets, but in Tampa Bay's focus to stop Jones and Devonta Freeman, there should be enough open space for Tamme to have a solid day.