Fantasy Football Week 9 Rankings: TE

Jason Witten hasn't skipped a beat since Tony Romo went down. Not that he doesn't miss his boy, but his statistics haven't lagged one bit with ~~Jesus~~ Jon Kitna flinging the football in his direction. And really it should come as no surprise that Witten continues his rise. After an up-and-down season last year, Witten was again off to a slow start this season. However, he was finally getting back in sync with Romo before the injury and despite that, his last two games indicate that he's back to being one of the elite fantasy tight ends on the market.

Witten and the struggling Cowboys are headed to Green Bay this weekend where he'll try to keep pace with his recent success. On paper it may not be the easiest matchup on his schedule, but you simply have to like his chances. Expect Witten to shine in primetime and to field another big day with Kitna at the helm. He may not be ready to dethrone Mr. Antonio Gates, but he's almost ready to at least join the party.

As for the rest of the ranks...

Week 9 Rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST | K | IDP | Sleepers | Top Pickups/Drops

1. Antonio Gates, SD (at HOU)
2. Jason Witten, DAL (at GB)
3. Tony Gonzalez, ATL (vs. TB)
4. Owen Daniels, HOU (vs. SD)
5. Dustin Keller, NYJ (at DET)
6. Zach Miller, OAK (vs. KC)
7. Visanthe Shiancoe, MIN (vs. ARI)
8. Aaron Hernandez, NE (at CLE)
9. Jacob Tamme, IND (at PHI)
10. Brent Celek, PHI (vs. IND)
11. Brandon Pettigrew, DET (vs. NYJ)
12. Kellen Winslow, TB (at ATL)
13. Heath Miller, PIT (at CIN)
14. Tony Moeaki, KC (at OAK)
15. Greg Olsen, CHI (at BUF)
16. Jeremy Shockey, NO (at CAR)
17. Benjamin Watson, CLE (vs. NE)
18. Todd Heap, BAL (vs. MIA)
19. John Carlson, SEA (vs. NYG)
20. Tony Scheffler, DET (vs. NYJ)
21. Andrew Quarless, GB (vs. DAL)
22. Jermaine Gresham, CIN (vs. PIT)
23. Anthony Fasano, MIA (at BAL)
24. Rob Gronkowski, NE (at CLE)
25. Kevin Boss, NYG (at SEA)

• Everyone is a little high on Jacob Tamme. I get it, he looked good filling in for Dallas Clark, but let's get one thing straight -- he's not Dallas Clark. Look, I liked Tamme and even pegged him as a sleeper last week and he's a great replacement or bye-week fill-in kind of guy. However, I'm not ready to wager that he's gonna make anybody forget about Dallas Clark. He'll have his ups and his downs. The matchup reads that he should be in line for a nice day... I say proceed with a tad amount of caution.

• Visanthe Shiancoe should be the biggest benefactor in the whole Randy Moss-Vikings divorce. We'd have to expect his targets will go up instantly and he's looking at a very favorable matchup at home this weekend against the Cardinals. I expect Favre or Jackson (whomever plays) to look his way early and often.

• One of these weeks he's finally gonna snap out of it and get it going, I promise you. Yes, I know Owen Daniels has been virtually useless this season, but patient owners will see the results soon enough. He gets a decent-to-favorable spot this weekend when the Chargers come to Houston. I'm setting the expectations for about 60 yards and a score.

• Along the same lines as Daniels, yes Jeremy Shockey is due to kick his production into high gear. It may happen this week. I like Shockey if you need an injury replacement or you are facing the bye weeks.

• I will keep preaching Tony Moeaki in this space each week. Maybe I'm just a sucker. However, I feel like he can and should be a key asset in the Chiefs offense. Yes, I know it's run-first and he's slipping down the option chart, but again if you're in a bind -- he could see some value this weekend in Oakland.

• And for your deep sleeper of the week it's Anthony Fasano. This is simply a hunch card, but I think the Ravens try and stick it to the Dolphins' running game and keep the blanket on Brandon Marshall. If they find a red-zone opportunity it could go to Fasano. That's what you've gotta bank on if you're going this route.