The G.O.A.T. at tight end is gone from the NFL. Or so we think. Rob Gronkowski has decided to retire — at least for now

Despite announcing his retirement from the Patriots in March, he hinted at a possible return in May, saying "you never know. If you mess around that much about it, I might convince myself (to return)." 

While it would be fun to have Gronkowski, who is only 30, back on the field, it's likely we've seen him play for the last time. And he was a shell of himself in 2018, which wasn't exactly fun to watch, especially if he was on your Fantasy roster. 

It's hard to imagine the NFL without Gronkowski, who retired as the best tight end of all time, but Fantasy players need to move on. And we're here to look at the state of tight ends heading into 2019. 

Some might think the position is messy. Others might think it's as deep as ever before. I'm actually excited about the talent at tight end this season. 

It starts at the top with the elite three of Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz and George Kittle. But it doesn't end there. Evan Engram, O.J. Howard and Hunter Henry have tremendous breakout potential. 

Jared Cook is kind of like a bridge tight end between the standout six and what comes next, which is a group that includes Eric Ebron, David Njoku, Vance McDonald, Mark Andrews, Delanie Walker, Jordan Reed and Austin Hooper. This is the tight end heap that many Fantasy managers fear — but could turn out to be great. 

You also have re-tread guys like Jimmy Graham, Trey Burton, Kyle Rudolph, Greg Olsen and Jack Doyle. And some young guys with potential in T.J. Hockenson, Noah Fant, Darren Waller and Chris Herndon

So the question you have to ask yourself is when do you want to invest in a tight end on Draft Day? Is it early with one of the top three or even the top six? Maybe spend a mid-round pick on Cook, Ebron, Njoku or McDonald? Or just wait to see what's left out of Walker, Reed, Andrews or Hooper? 

It's a tough call. And it's a decision that could frame how you build your Fantasy roster. It's just hard to fathom why there aren't more great Fantasy tight ends. 

I spoke to several top-tier tight ends this offseason and several coaches to ask them why the position isn't more robust with elite talent. 

No one had a definitive answer. But what guys like Kelce, Kittle, Hooper and Olsen said about the position was informative. And maybe their insight can help us figure out what makes a great tight end — in Fantasy and reality. 

"It's not easy," Olsen said. "Everyone thinks playing tight end is easy. It's hard. You get asked to do a lot of different things. It's tough." 

Olsen, a 12-year veteran, has become the elder statesman of tight ends in the NFL. And he's bridged the gap of some of the best Fantasy tight end battles in recent memory. 

Olsen saw Tony Gonzalez vs. Antonio Gates in the mid-2000's, which was followed by Gronkowski vs. Graham. Gronkowski then fended off many challengers to his throne before being passed by Kelce in 2016, and Kelce is now fighting Ertz and Kittle for the top spot. 

But its more than just the top guys. We don't have a lot of quality depth at the position. Since 2014, there have only been 40 tight ends to score at least 150 PPR points. By comparison, there have been 105 receivers to score at least 200 PPR points over that span. 

Knowing the tight end position is top heavy makes you want to target Kelce, Ertz or Kittle in the first two rounds. And Kelce should be the first one off the board at the beginning of Round 2. 

Kelce said a big reason for his success has been playing for coach Andy Reid and the system he runs with the Chiefs

"This offense is a very tight end friendly offense," Kelce said. "I was able my rookie year to sit back and observe the offense because I ended up having microfracture on my knee and see how coach wanted everything done. I was listening to how he was talking to the wide receivers. I was listening to how he was talking to the running backs and the tight ends. Because you're going to be put everywhere in this offense. You're going to be put in the backfield, in the slot, out wide, singled up. You can always take bits and pieces from what he's telling somebody else. Without a doubt, coach Reid is a huge, huge part of why I'm any good in the NFL." 

Added Reid: "Travis is an extremely talented player that you can do a lot of things with, but I've had guys with less ability still be successful in this offense. Travis, you can just do so many things with that you can use him as a wide receiver, and it expands his role. You try to take advantage of that greatness he presents you with." 

Kittle said the right offense is the key for every tight end. He talked about 49ers coach Kyle Shanahan and how he features the tight end in his system. 

Kittle said coaches like Shanahan make it easy for tight ends to succeed. 

"The tight end position is very difficult," Kittle said. "And you have to be in the offense that works best for you. There's been countless guys that should have been good players, but the offense doesn't fit them. What coach Shanahan does to give me opportunities, it just works really well for me." 

Shanahan said as a coach, when you get an elite tight end, it's in your best interest to feature them on offense. 

"There are not 32 special tight ends," Shanahan said. "I think people use those guys however they're capable, but not all guys you can use a ton of ways. But when you do get one of those guys, you try to put them in a lot of good positions. I feel like we've always done that with tight ends, so you're going to get good numbers." 

We wish there were more coaches like Shanahan, Reid and Doug Pederson, who puts a spotlight on Ertz in Philadelphia. They use those tight ends as primary playmakers, and it shows in their production. 

Last year, Kittle set the NFL record for most yards by a tight end with 1,377, and Kelce was right behind him with 1,336. And Ertz set the NFL record for most tight end receptions with 116, and Kelce was third all-time with 103. All three of those tight ends saw at least 136 targets, which is impressive. 

The only other tight ends with over 100 targets last season were Ebron and Cook. Ebron responded with 14 total touchdowns, which were the third-most all-time in NFL history for a tight end. Colts coach Frank Reich, a Pederson disciple, knows the value of having a standout player at the position. He gets it. 

As for Cook, his involvement in the offense was a necessity in Oakland last season with a depleted receiving corps, but he signed with the Saints this year. We'll find out if Cook can be the first standout tight end in New Orleans since Graham was traded to Seattle in 2015. 

I'm nervous about drafting Ebron and Cook this year because I expect regression to happen for both. However, three tight ends I'm excited about are Engram, Howard and Henry. 

Engram has been a standout Fantasy option every time Odell Beckham has been out, and he's now in Cleveland. Henry should be back at 100 percent from last year's torn ACL. And Howard should also be healthy from last year's foot and ankle problems, as well as getting an upgrade in playcalling with coach Bruce Arians. I'm looking for these guys in Rounds 4 and 5. 

Now, if I miss on one of the top six tight ends, my plan is to look for McDonald, Andrews, Walker or Reed. McDonald should see a boost in production with Antonio Brown gone from Pittsburgh, and Andrews, Walker and Reed could be the top receiving options in their respective offenses. 

I'm also OK with Njoku and Hooper, although Njoku is being drafted as a top-10 tight end, which could be a mistake. Hooper, however, is someone to settle for, even though he was the No. 6 PPR tight end last season. 

Hooper said the reason for his success in 2018 was because of Matt Ryan, and he said having a good rapport with your quarterback is crucial for any tight end. 

"When you play a position that's contingent upon you getting the football, it helps if you have a real working relationship with the guy who feeds you," Hooper said. "We spent a bunch of time this offseason (in 2018), countless hours, countless routes, working on that timing, working on that non-verbal communication, which is key when you're out there and live bullets are flying. That's it more than anything. Me and my quarterback were on a better page, and it shows." 

As for the rookie tight ends, it will be interesting to see how they perform in 2019. But don't overvalue them in seasonal leagues. 

Since 2014, only one rookie tight end has finished the season as a No. 1 Fantasy option, which was Engram in 2017. No matter how talented they might seem coming into the NFL, it takes time for tight ends to develop. You should only target Hockenson and Fant with late-round picks in all formats. 

And two others to target with late-round picks include Waller, who is the replacement for Cook in Oakland, and Herndon. I like Herndon a lot, but he's suspended for the first four games of the season, which lowers his value. 

I'm also curious to see what happens with veterans like Graham, Burton, Rudolph, Olsen and Doyle. None of them are worth drafting in most leagues, but we could see one or two of them emerge as Fantasy options to target off waivers. 

Olsen said he would like to see more production from every tight end this season. So would Fantasy players. But not every team has a coach or quarterback who leans on their tight end. Maybe that will change for a few rosters this season, and hopefully some of the younger tight ends will develop sooner rather than later in 2019. 

As for the Patriots, they have to replace the G.O.A.T. with Gronkowski gone. Right now, the top options are Matt LaCosse and Benjamin Watson, who is suspended for the first four games of the year. Clearly, both of these guys are a downgrade from Gronkowski. 

It just won't be the same without Gronkowski on the field. But we have to move on, especially Fantasy players. The hope is there's enough talented tight ends to provide more options this season. 

However, history tells us that's not likely to happen. You just have to make sure you hit on the right one, whether he's an established guy (Kelce, Kittle or Ertz) or someone on the verge of a breakout (Engram, Howard or Henry). Otherwise, you might be streaming tight ends throughout the season. 

Unless, of course, Gronkowski comes back. While not likely realistic, it would be fun.