Week 9 Fantasy Tight End Rankings: Risers, Streamers, and Bye Week Impact

As the fantasy football season hits Week 9, managers are reminded that time flies when you're having fun—or not, as last week may have proven. Only two teams, the Pittsburgh Steelers and Tennessee Titans, are on bye this week, but their absence won't significantly alter the tight end picture. Pittsburgh's Pat Freiermuth and Darnell Washington have been unreliable, and Tennessee's Gunnar Helm holds little fantasy value.

The NFL returns to international play this week as the Cincinnati Bengals and Atlanta Falcons face off Sunday at Santiago Bernabeu Stadium in Madrid, Spain. This week's rankings feature some notable risers in Harold Fannin Jr. and T.J. Hockenson. There are also streaming options based on matchups—check out Start 'Em, Sit 'Em later this week for details. Other tight ends are dealing with injuries, including Hunter Henry, while others like Mark Andrews and Juwan Johnson are falling due to a loss of targets or a recent lack of high-end production.

Below are the Week 9 fantasy tight end rankings. Check back regularly for updates, especially after final team injury reports are released late in the week.

Week 9 Fantasy Tight End Rankings

• 1. Brock Bowers, LV (at SF)
• 2. Trey McBride, ARI (at SEA)
• 3. Isaiah Likely, NYG (at PHI)
• 4. George Kittle, SF (vs. LV)
• 5. Sam LaPorta, DET (at MIA)
• 6. Tucker Kraft, GB (at NE)
• 7. Colston Loveland, CHI (vs. TB)
• 8. Harold Fannin Jr., CLE (at NO)
• 9. Kyle Pitts Sr., ATL (vs. CIN)
• 10. T.J. Hockenson, MIN (vs. BUF)
• 11. Tyler Warren, IND (vs. DAL)
• 12. Travis Kelce, KC (vs. NYJ)
• 13. Dallas Goedert, PHI (vs. NYG)
• 14. Dalton Kincaid, BUF (at MIN)
• 15. Brenton Strange, JAC (at BAL)
• 16. Mike Gesicki, CIN (at ATL)
• 17. Tyler Higbee, LAR (at WAS)
• 18. Greg Dulcich, MIA (vs. DET)
• 19. Juwan Johnson, NO (vs. CLE)
• 20. Eli Raridon, NE (vs. GB)
• 21. AJ Barner, SEA (vs. ARI)
• 22. Michael Mayer, LV (at SF)
• 23. Chig Okonkwo, WAS (vs. LAR)
• 24. Mason Taylor, NYJ (at KC)
• 25. Darren Waller, CAR (vs. DEN)
• 26. Dalton Schultz, HOU (at LAC)
• 27. Oronde Gadsden II, LAC (vs. HOU)
• 28. Mark Andrews, BAL (vs. JAC)
• 29. Kenyon Sadiq, NYJ (at KC)
• 30. Cade Otton, TB (at CHI)
• 31. Evan Engram, DEN (at CAR)
• 32. Brevyn Spann-Ford, DAL (at IND)

Key Analysis

Brock Bowers and Trey McBride continue to lead the tight end rankings, but the emergence of Harold Fannin Jr. and T.J. Hockenson as risers adds intrigue. Fannin Jr. has seen increased opportunities in Cleveland, while Hockenson's role in Minnesota appears to be expanding. Meanwhile, injuries to players like Hunter Henry and target declines for Mark Andrews and Juwan Johnson are creating volatility. Fantasy managers should monitor injury reports closely and consider streaming options like Mike Gesicki or Tyler Higbee based on favorable matchups.

Michael Fabiano is a fantasy football analyst for Sports Illustrated. His weekly rankings and Start 'Em, Sit 'Em articles are must-reads for fantasy players. Before joining SI in August 2020, he worked for CBS Sports, NFL Network and SiriusXM. He also contributes to Westwood One Radio and the Locked on Dynasty Podcast. Fabiano was the first fantasy analyst to appear on one of the four major TV networks and is a member of the Fantasy Sports Writers Association Hall of Fame. Follow Michael_Fabiano.