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MOCK DRAFT
Ask the Commish.Com 2019 Draft Kit
It's hard to not get excited about 6-foot-4, 251-pound Jace Sternberger. The tight end from Texas A&M dominated defenses in 2018, playing like a man among boys en route to 832 yards and 10 touchdowns on just 48 receptions. Would you believe over 40 percent of his catches went for at least 20 yards? It's true! The Packers must have been delighted to draft someone with this much upside, but he's got work to do to become a complete tight end. He's not a refined blocker at all and his route-running isn't crisp. But anyone who catches passes from Aaron Rodgers and can match up favorably against slow linebackers is worth a look. A good preseason will put Sternberger on the seasonal Fantasy map, but until then he won't go in those. Instead, expect Sternberger to find a home with a late-round pick in dynasty start-ups and long-term keeper leagues, as well as with a top-20 pick in rookie-only drafts.
The Jets selected rookie Trevon Wesco in the fourth round from West Virginia, and he will compete to be the No. 2 tight end this season behind Chris Herndon. His main competition will come from Jordan Leggett, Neal Sterling and Eric Tomlinson, but Wesco could easily win that job with a strong training camp. We don't recommend drafting Wesco is most seasonal leagues, and he's only worth a late-round flier in deep rookie-only drafts.
At 6-foot-8 and 265 pounds, Steelers draftee Zach Gentry looks more like a power forward than a tight end. But the Michigan product is viewed as a jack-of-all-trades, master of none, making him a dicey Fantasy prospect. He looked okay catching passes for the Wolverines (32 grabs last year) but he's not a tackle-breaker and is unrefined as a route-runner. Worse yet, he's not a strong blocker, which is crazy considering how big he is. This is a project player for the Steelers to develop - if they're successful, he could be insanely good for Fantasy. Target him with one of your final picks in rookie-only drafts and the deepest of long-term formats.
The Bills selected rookie tight end Dawson Knox in the third round of the NFL Draft from Ole Miss, and he could compete for a starting job right away. Tyler Kroft suffered a broken foot in May, and his availability for Week 1 could be in doubt. Knox could start ahead of Jason Croom or Lee Smith, and he has plenty of potential to emerge as a playmaker for Buffalo. That said, Kroft has not been ruled out for the season, so when he returns, he will cut into Knox's playing time. Knox, even as a starter, is not worth drafting in most re-draft leagues. In rookie-only drafts, we like Knox with a late-round pick.
The Raiders selected rookie tight end Foster Moreau from LSU in the fourth round of the NFL Draft, and he could compete for a starting job right away. With Jared Cook (New Orleans) gone, Oakland has a need at tight end, with Moreau's main competition expected to come from guys like Darren Waller and Derek Carrier. While we don't expect Moreau to have a prominent role right away, he could be someone to monitor during the season. Don't draft him in most seasonal leagues, and he's only a late-round flier at best in deep rookie-only drafts.
The Broncos selected rookie tight end Noah Fant from Iowa in the first-round of the NFL Draft, and he's expected to be a key contributor on offense right away. Fant is more of a move tight end, but he will likely line up all over the field. And given Joe Flacco's tendency to lean on his tight ends, Fant could have landed in a great situation. We expect Fant to excel even when Drew Lock takes over at quarterback, and Fant is one of the rare rookie tight ends to covet in seasonal leagues. We would only draft him with a late-round pick in most formats - after his Iowa teammate, T.J. Hockenson - but he's worth a first-round pick in rookie-only drafts.