(AP Photo/Gail Burton)

It is never too early to start planning for the 2018 fantasy football season. When it comes to drafting a tight end, there are two schools of though. Take an elite tight end in the first five rounds or wait until the last five rounds to take one. If you chose to wait, here are five tight ends you should consider drafting that offer terrific value.

5. Hayden Hurst, Balitmore Ravens: I think Hurst has the potential to be a major producer as a rookie. Joe Flacco has been yearning for a seam stretching tight end who can control the middle of the field. Hurst is that type of tight end. If you are in a 10 team league, you might want to grab Hurst in rounds 10 to 12. If you are in a 12 team league, you might want to grab him in rounds 8 to 10. Hurst will go earlier than you think.

4. Ricky Seals Jones, Arizona Cardinals: Seals Jones teased us down the stretch last season with back to back great games against the Texans and Jaguars in weeks 11 and 12. The former wide receiver has size and a wide catch radius. He can generate match-ups in the red zone, especially when he is split out. Look for new Cardinals offensive coordinator Mike McCoy to use Seals Jones in a myriad of ways  in an attempt to get him more one on one targets for him.

3. Trey Burton, Bears: The former Eagles tight end should thrive in Matt Nagy’s offense in Chicago. Burton is a match-up nightmare, especially for safeties and nickel linebackers. Nagy will move Burton around a lot in formations and personnel groupings in an effort to free him up and get matched up against the defenders he wants. Look for Burton to put up good numbers in an offense that will throw the ball a lot this season.

2. Jared Cook, Raiders: Cook will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Jon Gruden’s hiring. There is no denying Cook’s size and athleticism. He has teased Titans, Rams, Packers and Raiders fans through the years by making the occasional big play. Now he is ready to bust in Gruden’s version of the West Coast Offense. Cook is tough to defend because he can generate one on one match ups vertically. The Raiders will be in 11 personnel a lot this season so look for Cook to get plenty of targets.

1. David Njoku, Browns: New offensive coordinator Todd Haley loves to stretch the field vertically, especially out of 11 personnel. As a result, David Njoku could thrive in Haley’s offense because of his speed and athleticism. Njoku barely scratched the surface of what he could do last season. He could be a breakout star in 2018.