Fantasy football rankings, Week 10: Tight ends

So Rob Gronkowski is his own tier at tight end. He's outscored the No. 2 tight end this season by 19 points - even giving him credit for playing one more game than Julius Thomas, Gronk is running away with things.

After that, the next tier -- you could argue this as two tiers, but it isn't important -- consists of, in some order, Thomas, Jimmy Graham, Greg Olsen, Antonio Gates, Martellus Bennett and Dwayne Allen. That is seven tight ends. If you have any one of those seven, woohoo, that's a lineup slot you just set and forget about until the bye week. (Of course, Gronkowski, Allen and Gates are all on bye in Week 10, so un-woohoo.)

Delanie Walker (8.4 per game): The Tennessee tight end averaged 12 points a game through Week 4, but less than five points per game since. With the unsteadiness at quarterback in Tennessee, Walker is far from a sure thing.

Travis Kelce (7.8): Kelce has put up at least three points in every game, and has scored four touchdowns. He's a better fantasy player than Chiefs teammate Anthony Fasano, but Fasano tends to be a better blocker, keeping Kelce off the field more than fantasy owners would like.

Jason Witten (5.3): Things have gotten better lately (7.3 points a game in the last month) after an awful start. Still an elite blocking tight end, which keeps him in - and out of passing consideration - frustratingly often.

Jordan Reed (4.8): Has only played five games. Has five or fewer points in four of them. Shares looks with Niles Paul.

It's a deep tier -- that is, in some order, 8-15 among tight ends, unless you want to argue for Heath Miller or Tim Wright or something -- but it's a whole group of "meh." I am starting Kelce in one league, Donnell in another, Ertz in a third. I think I'm generally fine with Kelce, a little worried about Donnell, downright terrified of Ertz. In no cases am I excited about my situation.

And after that tier, things get downright sad. Are you excited about Scott Chandler? Jared Cook? Clay freakin' Harbor?

Now is the time, if you're scuffling about at tight end, to eye assistance. Maybe it's a trade, if an owner of a top-tier guy is in desperation mode. And if not there, the only logical place to upgrade is by using injured reserve. Kyle Rudolph, Tyler Eifert and Marcedes Lewis are all sidelined, but all are expected back in the next few weeks. Now, I wasn't excited about any of those three even in the preseason, but with the way the middle tier has scuffled, it can't hurt to grab one of these guys, just to hope.