Now that we have had some time to digest the NFL draft and its aftermath, us fantasy footballers are excitedly waiting to add some of the rookies to our fake teams.

Deciding which players have fantasy worth in 2019 comes down to assessing the likelihood of meaningful playing time. The following players are ranked in order of anticipated opportunity and corresponding value.

Rookie previews: QB | RB | WR

Tight ends

T.J. Hockenson | Detroit Lions | 6-5, 250 | Iowa

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2017	Iowa	13	24	320	3
2018	Iowa	13	49	760	6

It isn’t too often a rookie tight end is productive enough to matter in fantasy. In the last five seasons, we’ve seen Evan Engram and Hunter Henry buck the trend, but their final lines were not that good. In those five years, the top tight end per season averaged 43.8 catches, 502.2 yards and 4.6 scores. This factors to 121.6 PPR points, or good for 15th place among all 2018 tight ends. Remove Engram and Henry: The output falls to 19th.

Hockenson is a legitimate NFL starter, and he’ll be given every chance to stand out as a rookie. Kenny Golladay is the primary target in the passing game, and the offense will throw often to the running backs. There is a modest role for Marvin Jones, but he’s not a possession hog. Hockenson realistically could catch somewhere near Engram’s 64 as a rookie, which ranked tops on among the position in that five-year window.

Detroit is transitioning to a ground-control system that will look much more like New England than the Lions of pre-Matt Patricia years. Rob Gronkowski comparisons will be unfairly made; Hockenson is more like Jason Witten with hints of Travis Kelce — strong comps, of course. There are maybe five or six tight ends gamers can be fairly sure will finish in the top 12 of the position. This volatility will give Hockenson a chance to flirt with starter status with a stat line around 50-600-4. He’ll be inconsistently productive.

Noah Fant | Denver Broncos | 6-5, 241 | Iowa

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	Iowa	10	9	70	1
2017	Iowa	13	30	494	11
2018	Iowa	12	39	519	7

Fant is extremely talented and offers Joe Flacco an athletic outlet capable of being lined up all over. In fact, the rookie is at his best flexed into the slot. He needs to improve drastically as a blocker, which will keep him relegated to passing situations more often than not.

There isn’t a great deal of competition for touches among the tight ends, and he’s a better receiver than any of Denver’s other players at his position. Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders (Achilles) returns from a major injury, and he’s on the wrong side of 30. Denver has a pair of second-year wideouts offering promise but remaining mostly unproven in Courtland Sutton and DaeSean Hamilton.

Fant should have a sizeable role in the way San Francisco utilized George Kittle last year. While he won’t be as productive, the Iowa rookie is a similar player and enters former 49ers quarterbacks coach Rich Scangrello’s system. Take a flier on him as a TE2 in deeper leagues and keep your expectations at a minimum.

Irv Smith | Minnesota Vikings | 6-4, 241 | Alabama

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2017	Alabama	14	14	128	3
2018	Alabama	15	44	710	7

Smith has the talent to succeed but has only one year of proven success in college. The Vikings still have Kyle Rudolph on the roster, even though he is rumored to be available via trade. This offense has many mouths to feed, especially if Rudolph remains, so Smith is most likely facing a learning year with a few flash moments sprinkled throughout.

The rookie’s role is solely tied to what happens with Rudolph. If Smith is granted the starting role and the vet is cast away, we’re looking at TE2 upside in traditional leagues and a possible matchup play for daring DFS gamers.

Josh Oliver | Jacksonville Jaguars | 6-5, 253 | San Jose State

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2015	San Jose State	13	4	36	1
2016	San Jose State	12	3	26	1
2017	San Jose State	12	35	296	1
2018	San Jose State	12	56	709	4

Oliver is a talented receiver but comes from a small program and is somewhat raw. He struggles as a blocker and will be primarily utilized away from the line of scrimmage. This could drastically limit how much he’ll be on the field in an offense that will look to set the tone on the ground. Jacksonville needs a pass-catching tight end, and he fits the bill. The offensive system is favorable for the position to find success — think Philadelphia, and we’ve seen quarterback Nick Foles’ comfort level looking to the position.

Watch Oliver’s progression through the summer. He has the tools to flirt with 50 grabs, so there’s an off-chance he becomes a fringe starter in deeper leagues. Draft him late as a flier since this offense lacks standout weapons in the aerial attack.

Foster Moreau | Oakland Raiders | 6-4, 253 | LSU

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	LSU	11	6	79	1
2017	LSU	13	24	278	3
2018	LSU	10	22	272	2

Derek Carrier and Luke Willson sit ahead of Moreau on the depth chart at this point, and the rookie wasn’t exactly a receiving powerhouse at LSU. There is an opportunity for more, though, simply because of the tight ends ahead of him are just dudes.

Jace Sternberger | Green Bay Packers | 6-4, 250 | Texas A&M

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	Kansas	10	1	5	0
2018	Texas A&M	13	48	832	10

One year of collegiate production and the presence of Jimmy Graham likely makes this a redshirt year for Sternberger. He’ll learn the ropes behind one of the best at his position in the last decade, and the rookie’s future as quite luminous. Barring an injury to Graham, Sternberger won’t be a factor in 2019 fantasy leagues.

Dawson Knox | Buffalo Bills | 6-4, 257 | Ole Miss

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2017	Ole Miss	10	24	321	0
2018	Ole Miss	9	15	284	0

Knox didn’t score once in 19 games, spanning 39 receptions at Ole Miss. He wasn’t in a tight end-friendly situation, and the lack of touchdowns shouldn’t be held over his head. That stated, the Bills brought in Tyler Kroft from Cincinnati in free agency, suggesting the former Bengal will be given every chance to own the starting spot. Knox is closer to a project than a fantasy property.

Kaden Smith | San Francisco 49ers | 6-5, 253 | Stanford

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2017	Stanford	14	23	414	5
2018	Stanford	9	47	635	2

As long as George Kittle is alive and well, there will be nothing but scraps for Smith. Wideout Jalen Hurd also can play tight end, further complicating Smith’s 2019 chances of producing worthwhile stats.

Kahale Warring | Houston Texans | 6-6, 250 | San Diego State

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	San Diego State	4	2	17	2
2017	San Diego State	13	18	248	3
2018	San Diego State	9	31	372	3

Warring has receiving skills and could be worked in as the year progresses. Houston’s stable of tight ends is rather weak, which offers a glimmer of hope for Warring. Keep tabs on his offseason maturation before expecting anything near TE2 territory.

Zach Gentry | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-7, 260 | Michigan

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2017	Michigan	13	17	303	2
2018	Michigan	12	32	514	2

Long-term upside is on his side. The massive Gentry is rather nimble for his gigantic frame but is also mostly unbaked as an NFL-caliber tight end. The Steelers will focus on grooming him for the future, but there’s always a coin-flip scenario of him scoring in the red zone.

Alize Mack | New Orleans Saints | 6-5, 240 | Notre Dame

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2015	Notre Dame	13	13	190	0
2017	Notre Dame	10	19	166	1
2018	Notre Dame	12	36	360	3

In the future, Mack could find himself contributing within this offense and for fantasy gamers. It is unlikely to come in 2019 with Jared Cook and Josh Hill on the roster.

Drew Sample | Cincinnati Bengals | 6-5, 259 | Washington

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2015	Washington	13	5	45	2
2016	Washington	14	9	106	0
2017	Washington	10	7	84	0
2018	Washington	13	25	252	3

Cincinnati re-signed Tyler Eifert and C.J. Uzomah after letting Tyler Kroft walk in free agency. Sample is more of an inline blocker but has decent enough hands. He’ll be a long shot to contribute in fantasy in 2019, even with Eifert’s extensive injury history suggesting an opportunity could be present.

Caleb Wilson | Arizona Cardinals | 6-5, 240 | UCLA

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	UCLA	12	16	220	0
2017	UCLA	5	38	490	1
2018	UCLA	11	60	965	4

The Air Raid isn’t exactly known for its use of tight ends given the amount of “00” and “01” packages it deploys. Ricky Seals-Jones, Charles Clay and Maxx Williams all figure to open ahead of the rookie on training camp’s unofficial depth chart.

Trevon Wesco | New York Jets | 6-3, 266 | West Virginia

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	West Virginia	10	1	6	1
2017	West Virginia	13	1	1	0
2018	West Virginia	10	26	366	1

Remember this name if you play in long-range leagues. He has considerable potential but needs plenty of time to percolate, and it is questionable if he’d even have a spot in 2019’s pecking order.

Isaac Nauta | Detroit Lions | 6-4, 246 | Georgia

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2016	Georgia	13	29	361	3
2017	Georgia	15	9	114	2
2018	Georgia	14	30	430	3

He’s a classic H-back mold and could be used in a sneaky fashion at times. Fantasy gamers should want nothing to do with him.

Tommy Sweeney | Buffalo Bills | 6-5, 259 | Boston College

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2015	Boston College	12	5	68	0
2016	Boston College	13	26	353	3
2017	Boston College	13	36	512	4
2018	Boston College	11	32	348	3

The No. 2 spot is up for grabs in Buffalo. There’s just not enough meat on that bone for any consistent fantasy returns. Look just about everywhere else at the position.

Travis Fulgham | Detroit Lions | 6-2, 214 | Old Dominion

Year	Team	GP	Rec	Yards	TD
2015	Old Dominion	10	6	89	0
2016	Old Dominion	13	29	478	8
2017	Old Dominion	12	30	394	1
2018	Old Dominion	12	63	1083	9

Is he a receiver or a tight end? Does it matter? Fulgham is on the outside looking in and is a project player at the next level. He’ll be fortunate to make it out of camp.