Position - TEs and why you want one early
This will be a very fast read. TEs are one of the few spots where you either get one of the few guys worth starting every week or simply pick one of the 2nd tier guys and hope for a repeat of last year or try to jump on a young player blowing up (not too common in TEs). TE is the spot of the haves and the have nots. If you don't get one you tend to regret it later on as usually the value of the guy you would get in round 4 5 or 6 at WR/RB isn't much better than a guy you could have gotten a round later but when the top TEs are gone the drop off is fairly massive.
Generally the top guys are pretty much agreed upon and in order going into this season it is (the order is in my opinion as they jump around some). Gronk, Kelce, Olson, Reed, Graham
Also Walker, Eifert, Bennet for guys you can plug in and see if they stay healthy or fall off or what. Maybe Cameron Blate but I wouldn't depend on him to repeat last year. Kyle Rudolph could be interesting but i doubt he gets the same number of targets again.
There isn't much strategy here as far as just drafting the guy for value so here are my thoughts on where to draft who. (I got the averages from yahoo)
Gronk - ave draft spot - 24.4 his real value - 20 - not long ago he was thought of as a legit top 10 FF player than injuries hit him last year and now it has swung too far in the other direction. If he stays healthy all off season he is a very reasonable risk after all the top tier guys are gone and some of the safer 2nd tier players. The upside is just too high to ignore him for long.
Kelce - ave draft value - 42.5 his real value - 35 - One thing people forget about Kelce is this. He tends to stay on the field. Be it luck or just well built he has played every game in his 3 seasons and has consistently got good points. The fact he is so safe makes him worth this pick.
Oslon - ave draft spot - his real value - 37.5 (give or take) - Another iron man TE but he is probably starting a downward trend but still has a solid year left with more than the 3 TDs he got last year (worse since his rookie year).
Reed - ave draft spot 42 - his real value - 45 - Young but never seems to play 16 games though he plays most of them. I worry how much Pryor might take away from him but he is too good not to be thrown to while out there. Still a drop off from the top 3 IMO. He is a bit like Gronk but not the same massive upside.
Jimmy Graham - ave draft spot 55 - his real value - 50 - The worst of the top 5 but he will play every week just about. He just probably won't be amazing. A safe but good choice.
Walker - 62.7 (ave) Eifert - 63.8 (ave) Bennett - 66.9 (ave) - pick the last on the board at any spot that is left. Generally no earlier than 70 though if you can help it but if not they are worth getting just to not be in the basement.
Rudolph 107.8 (ave) if all else fails not a bad choice late but really it depends and not getitng him probably won't hurt you much as other players might be better but at least he has a history of being okay.
Usually though what I see happen, and it is sad when i do, is people pass on TE in the 40s and settle for one of Walker/Eifert/Bennett in the 60s when there is a run and they feel pressure to get one and miss out on massive value. Be sure that isn't you as it just puts you at a disadvantage in a spot you don't need to be at one.