Jimmy Graham, Vernon Davis, Julius Thomas, Jason Witten and Jordan Cameron turned out to be fantasy team life savers for many owners last season.  And Jimmy Graham alone helped many teams win it all.  The value of a tight end in fantasy should not go underrated.  There is almost nothing worse than searching for a viable tight end to use week to week on the waiver wire.

And don't be afraid to take Jimmy Graham in the first round.  Graham at least doubled the amount of touchdowns from every other tight end other than Vernon Davis and Julius Thomas.  Odds are he'll do that once again this season.  If you are unable to draft Jimmy Graham, you should be immediately thinking about targeting Julius Thomas or Rob Gronkowski.  Though if you do draft Gronk, it might be wise to back him up with the likes of Zach Ertz, Jordan Reed, or Greg Olsen to play it safe.  

If you decide to wait on a tight end, don't wait too long.  You're fantasy team most likely will not be able to afford the risk of crossing your fingers and hoping that guys like Delanie Walker, Coby Fleener, Martellus Bennett, or Charles Clay pan out to produce weekly points for your team.  Avoid that roll of the dice and secure a top tight end.  If you feel that this is the year for guys like Zach Ertz and Jordan Reed to really come into their own at the position, that's up to you.  But as far as I'm concerned, I will be concerned if I don't see Jimmy Graham or Julius Thomas on my roster this year.

And if you are worried about passing on a top RB or WR to draft Graham instead, just remember these  things: 

1) It is always easier to find a worthwhile starter at RB or WR off of the waiver wire than it is finding a solid TE.

2) Don't forget about highly drafted RB's like Ray Rice