Getty Tight end Harrison Bryant #88 of the Cleveland Browns celebrates after catching a touchdown pass.
Welcome to our Fantasy Football Tight End Rankings for Week 8 of the 2020 NFL regular season. This week we not only get back the likes of Mark Andrews, Trey Burton, Mike Gesicki and Irv Smith Jr. from byes, but a rookie pass-catcher in Cleveland emerges as a viable play. Speaking of viable plays, Rob Gronkowski continues to trend towards reclaiming his placement amongst must-starts at the position.
* If you’re looking for more information on how to best set your lineup this coming week check out our Week 8 TE Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em.
Reminder: These rankings are based on full-PPR scoring formats.
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Tight End Outlook Week 8
Over the first five weeks of the season, Rob Gronkowski (TE6) was the 31st-highest scoring TE in fantasy, averaging 5.1 ppg. Since then, Gronk has scored TDs in back-to-back weeks, averaging 14.7 ppg, the second-most output at his position over that span. Furthermore, in an offense with numerous mouths to feed, Gronk leads all Bucs pass-catchers in targets since Week 6 with 16.
At a position that lacks much depth behind the first handful of players, Gronk has firmly reinserted himself as a viable starter moving forward. His opponents this week, the New York Giants, have been fairly stern at defending the position this season, allowing the eighth-fewest points to TEs. However, they’ve shown a few knicks in the armor, as each of their past two opponents at the position have scored at least 13.2 points.
Harrison Bryant (TE15) stepped in for Austin Hooper this past Sunday after the Browns TE was diagnosed with appendicitis. The rookie out of FAU answered the bell, finding the end zone twice, on his way to 21.76 points, the only TE on the week to top 17.2 points.
The Odell Beckham Jr. injury likely opens up even more opportunities for Bryant. With that said, the Browns remain a run-first team, likely capping Bryant’s ceiling to where Hooper’s had been before his ailment. Bryant will also battle ex-first-round TE David Njoku for looks, who put up 10-plus points and a TD in Week 7.
Byant’s opponents this week have held every opposing TE this year, aside from Travis Kelce and Gronk, to 16 receiving yards or fewer. As we highlighted earlier, the position is too thin not to add a player such as Bryant, just don’t expect 20-plus points on a weekly basis.
Week 8 Fantasy Rankings: Tight End
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- Matchup: Great l Avg l Tough
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– NOTABLE TE BYE WEEKS: Dan Arnold (ARI), Logan Thomas (WAS), Darren Fells (HOU), James O’Shaughnessy (JAC)
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Tight End TEAM Opp.
1
Travis Kelce KC vs. NYJ
2
George Kittle SF @ SEA
3
Darren Waller LV @ CLE
4
Mark Andrews BAL vs. PIT
5
Noah Fant DEN vs. LAC
6
Rob Gronkowski TB @ NYG
7
Jonnu Smith TEN @ CIN
8
Hayden Hurst ATL @ CAR
9
Evan Engram NYG vs. TB
10
Hunter Henry LAC @ DEN
11
T.J. Hockenson DET vs. IND
12
Jimmy Graham CHI vs. NO
13
Jared Cook NO @ CHI
14
Irv Smith Jr. MIN @ GB
15
Harrison Bryant CLE vs. LV
16
Richard Rodgers PHI vs. DAL
17
Trey Burton IND @ DET
18
Mike Gesicki MIA vs. LAR
19
Drew Sample CIN vs. TEN
20
Robert Tonyan GB vs. MIN
21
Dalton Schultz DAL @ PHI
22
Albert Okwuegbunam DEN vs. LAC
23
Eric Ebron PIT @ BAL
24
David Njoku CLE vs. LV
25
Tyler Higbee LAR @ MIA
26
Adam Shaheen MIA vs. LAR
27
Tyler Kroft BUF vs. NE
28
Greg Olsen SEA vs. SF
29
Gerald Everett LAR @ MIA
30
Dawson Knox BUF vs. NE
31
Kyle Rudolph MIN @ GB
32
Ian Thomas CAR vs. ATL
33
Cameron Brate TB @ NYG
34
Chris Herndon IV NYJ @ KC
35
Jack Doyle IND @ DET
36
Nick Boyle BAL vs. PIT
37
Anthony Firkser TEN @ CIN
38
Will Dissly SEA vs. SF
39
Vance McDonald PIT @ BAL
40
Jesse James DET vs. IND
41
Ryan Griffin NYJ @ KC
42
Ryan Izzo NE @ BUF
43
Kaden Smith NYG vs. TB
44
Jace Sternberger GB vs. MIN
45
Nick Keizer KC vs. NYJ
46
Jake Butt DEN vs. LAC
47
Jacob Hollister SEA vs. SF
48
Nick Vannett DEN vs. LAC
49
Demetrius Harris CHI vs. NO
50
Blake Bell DAL @ PHI
51
MyCole Pruitt TEN @ CIN
52
Chris Manhertz CAR vs. ATL
53
Cethan Carter CIN vs. TEN
54
Devin Asiasi NE @ BUF
55
Ross Dwelley SF @ SEA
56
Trevon Wesco NYJ @ KC
57
Tanner Hudson TB @ NYG
58
Jaeden Graham ATL @ CAR
59
Cole Kmet CHI vs. NO
60
Lee Smith BUF vs. NE
61
Tyler Conklin MIN @ GB
62
Luke Stocker ATL @ CAR
63
Levine Toilolo NYG vs. TB
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