Saints’ Jared Cook is a fantasy football sleeper in 2019

The New Orleans Saints are a fantasy goldmine, and Jared Cook, their tight end bound to have a high impact, needs to be receiving more attention in drafts.

Jared Cook will be receiving the majority of reps as the New Orleans Saints tight end.

While Dan Arnold is also on the team, he’ll end up as more of a blocking and secondary option instead of a primary target. The opposite can be said of Cook. Cook may end up being Drew Brees most dynamic tight end since Jimmy Graham, who was a top fantasy tight end during his prime.

At 6-foot-5, Cook will be a big target for Brees in the endzone and should rack up numerous touchdowns. Last season, Cook had the best year of his career, ending four yards shy of 900 and with a career-high six touchdowns. That was with Derek Carr.

Think about what he can become with Drew Brees, who allowed Jimmy Graham to put up a league-high 16 touchdowns and over 1,200 yards one season. Graham was, by far, the best fantasy tight end in 2013, the season he was Brees’ main target.

Brees even allowed Ben Watson to be an ownable asset for team managers. Now with Cook, he should be able to get at least close to Graham’s level.

According to Sporting News’ Billy Heyen, Cook will enter 2019 as the No. 6 ranked tight end, behind Travis Kelce, Zach Ertz, George Kittle, Evan Engram, and O.J. Howard.

"Coming off the career year so many were waiting for, Cook has moved on to New Orleans from Oakland. With Cook on the wrong side of 30 and in a new place, there’s a bit of uncertainty. But Drew Brees has used his tight ends when he’s trusted them – think Jimmy Graham and Ben Watson. In one of football’s highest-powered offenses, Cook should get plenty of shots at touchdowns, if nothing else."

However, Yahoo Sports slides him down to No. 7.

Their pre-draft analysis has him, on average, being selected mid-way through the seventh round, around pick 67. I’d be shocked, to say the least, if Hunter Henry has a better 2019 fantasy-wise than Jared Cook.

That said, even O.J. Howard may not be up to Cook’s level. A top weapon in the Saints offense against a top weapon in the Bucs, you take your pick. That to say, Cook needs to be gaining more respect in fantasy leagues.

He’s a top-five tight end.