Hernandez or Gronkowski? (1 Viewer)

[H.K.]

The Pats were a tale of two completely different games. In one, they were ahead and had a balanced attack of passes and rushing attempts. In the other, they went way pass heavy, abandoned the run, and were playing catch up.I suspect that their approach will have to be more like the latter than the former, so they will be inclined to pass more. Bottom line, I suspect they will be closer to 40 passes a game than 30, so there will likely be more targets to go around.While I do think Hernandez will get his share of targets, I would not be swayed by his numbers against the Jets. Remember, he caught 1 pass against the Bengals.I would guess the Pats receiving targets not names Welker or Moss will vary greatly from week to week.

Thanks, David. I just checked Brady's stats and he threw about 35-36 times a game in his last two complete seasons, so we may not see an increase beyond current levels.Would love to hear your thoughts on Hernandez' outlook now that Faulk is gone...thanks again.

 

[LOCO]

bump.

hoping to get an outlook as well.

 

[David Yudkin]

The Pats were a tale of two completely different games. In one, they were ahead and had a balanced attack of passes and rushing attempts. In the other, they went way pass heavy, abandoned the run, and were playing catch up.I suspect that their approach will have to be more like the latter than the former, so they will be inclined to pass more. Bottom line, I suspect they will be closer to 40 passes a game than 30, so there will likely be more targets to go around.While I do think Hernandez will get his share of targets, I would not be swayed by his numbers against the Jets. Remember, he caught 1 pass against the Bengals.I would guess the Pats receiving targets not names Welker or Moss will vary greatly from week to week.

Thanks, David. I just checked Brady's stats and he threw about 35-36 times a game in his last two complete seasons, so we may not see an increase beyond current levels.Would love to hear your thoughts on Hernandez' outlook now that Faulk is gone...thanks again.

On running the ball . . . one could argue that this year they are having problems running the ball and may continue to have problems running the ball. As mentioned elsewhere, the potential stuggles on defense could also limit the times NE will run the ball.As for the TEs, Hernandez will likely be used more as a WR than a TE and prior to the season was projected by some folks for 50 catches but few TDs. Gronkowski was projected for 30-35 receptions but many more TDs as he was slated to be the red zone threat (depending on who you asked, anywhere from 6-10 TDs).Hernandez will probably benefit from Faulk being done for the year in that he might see more targets that Faulk would have received. But the Pats on occasion could have shorter drives with fewer first downs that Faulk seemed to always get.Bottom line, I don't see Hernandez getting many 100 yard games, as he could be a small piece of the game plan from week to week and play a bigger role in other weeks. The issue will be predicting how involved he will be week to week.

 

[Jene Bramel]

Given how the game plan looked last week (something I broke down in my Sight Adjustments column this week), I think it's clear that the coaches and Brady have plenty of confidence in both TEs.

Hernandez was much more involved in the passing game, but Gronkowski had a very quality target and could have had more had Brady had a little more time to finish his progressions. That trust should bode well for Hernandez, who I think is on the verge of becoming a clear every-week starter. Gronkowski might not get there, but he's going to have a small handful of very good games, too.

 

[munchkin]

Hernandez will need to learn to block better. He had an ole block on Coleman in last week's game that completely ruined a bubble screen. He can't get pushed around by d'backs. The cats a great runner after the catch and seems pretty fluid in the passing game but if he can't carry out his responsibilities in the running game his time on the field COULD be limited some what.

In that Gronkowski can be trusted more he will be on the field for more plays. Brady under-threw him badly in the second half last week or he would have had a "big" play as well. No way Wilson was going to tackle him by himself from behind in the open field.

From a Fantasy standpoint Hernandez could have a greater impact in the future if Moss isn't resigned and the Patriots change the focus of their offense. You can't have Moss on your team and not lean toward the deep ball. Brady really is a better short to medium range QB relying on his quick reads and throws. The Patriots could possibly be more effective relying on shorter passes and YAC from the likes of Welker, Hernandez, Tate and Gronkowski.

 

[MrMoFo]

Only 5 bench spots in each of my pools, offering little luxury to hold on to two TEs.

So... I dropped Zach Miller in one pool and Brent Celek (!) in the other in order to have the privilege of starting Mr. Aaron Hernandez in both come Week 3.

The formula?

Fine Passing Team + Poor LB Corps + Proven Results + Tremendous Athleticism - Kevin Faulk = 8 targets, 6 catches, 90 yards and an excellent chance at a touchdown.

Call me crazy, but I'm going all-in on this guy....

 

[Iwannabeacowboybaby!]

The Pats were a tale of two completely different games. In one, they were ahead and had a balanced attack of passes and rushing attempts. In the other, they went way pass heavy, abandoned the run, and were playing catch up.I suspect that their approach will have to be more like the latter than the former, so they will be inclined to pass more. Bottom line, I suspect they will be closer to 40 passes a game than 30, so there will likely be more targets to go around.While I do think Hernandez will get his share of targets, I would not be swayed by his numbers against the Jets. Remember, he caught 1 pass against the Bengals.I would guess the Pats receiving targets not names Welker or Moss will vary greatly from week to week.

Thanks, David. I just checked Brady's stats and he threw about 35-36 times a game in his last two complete seasons, so we may not see an increase beyond current levels.Would love to hear your thoughts on Hernandez' outlook now that Faulk is gone...thanks again.

On running the ball . . . one could argue that this year they are having problems running the ball and may continue to have problems running the ball. As mentioned elsewhere, the potential stuggles on defense could also limit the times NE will run the ball.As for the TEs, Hernandez will likely be used more as a WR than a TE and prior to the season was projected by some folks for 50 catches but few TDs. Gronkowski was projected for 30-35 receptions but many more TDs as he was slated to be the red zone threat (depending on who you asked, anywhere from 6-10 TDs).Hernandez will probably benefit from Faulk being done for the year in that he might see more targets that Faulk would have received. But the Pats on occasion could have shorter drives with fewer first downs that Faulk seemed to always get.Bottom line, I don't see Hernandez getting many 100 yard games, as he could be a small piece of the game plan from week to week and play a bigger role in other weeks. The issue will be predicting how involved he will be week to week.

Right but David, how many 100 yard games will any TE get? I mean, let's take the top TE in the league this year and let's see how many 100 yard performances he ends up with. I know Gates hasn't sniffed 100 yards yet and a few others that some thought elite before the season started. Most people get a lot of their points from TE's by the amount of receptions they get anyway, not yards and that may be where Hernandez is strong. I think you're right in saying that guys like Welker and Hernandez get a slight bump due to the injury to Faulk. If you're getting 2 points a reception, getting 5 recpetions for 80 yards and zero Td's is still pretty solid, especially for a late round guy and in some leagues a waiver wire guy.Like just about everyone said in here, both TE's look good. They provide different elements to the Patriot offense and games where it looks like the Pats will need to pass to stay in it, then Hernandez will have a more predictable good showing. To me, games like this week where the Patriots may blow out the Bills. This is a much more unpredictable week because they may not need to go to this guy. If the Pats are up by halftime and he hasn't gotten his, then his stats could be real quite. By no means do I think though the Pats are a dominant team this year so he should have a lot of games where his overall numbers are solid.

 

[ceo3west]

 

[kinghill]

dropped Heath Miller for Aaron Hernandez today

That gives me Keller and Hernandez to choose from.

Yes I waited a while in the draft to get a TE (13th round)

 

[Raider Nation]

Some eye-opening comments [bolded] about Hernandez from Trent Dilfer in a Boston Herald interview:

Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer has a keen eye when it comes to assessing and breaking down game film. The ESPN analyst has always had a pretty good handle on Tom Brady and the Patriots offense and what makes them tick, especially after a few hours in the film room. Having studied the tape of last week's 28-14 Pats loss to the Jets, Dilfer was struck by several things. The most compelling? The Jets were daring Brady to throw to Randy Moss in the second half.

"Usually, it's not that simple, but in this case, it was," Dilfer said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I really believe the Jets forced the ball to be spit out to the outside to Randy Moss. That's where they wanted the ball to go. They played him hard inside with their corner (Antonio) Cromartie, and they chased. ... They said, 'Go ahead, take your shots.' "

The Jets had lost shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis to a hamstring injury in the second quarter and came out of the halftime locker room having made some adjustments to their coverages. In the first half, according to Dilfer, the Jets were playing a lot of combination coverages. They played more zone or "matchup zone profiles," as he called them.

"When the Patriots get those profile of defenses, they are much more efficient working the middle of the field," Dilfer said. "Most of their offense is tailored and built on working between the numbers and getting to (Wes) Welker and (Aaron) Hernandez, who are huge weapons in those profiles. Those guys are just going to torch people in the middle of the field.

"In the second half, the Jets played far fewer of those coverages. They went to a one-high (safety), man-coverage scheme and they pressed Randy almost every single down. They were more aggresive at the line of scrimmage. They decided they were going to try to make Tom throw to the perimeter. You might say, 'Oh, that's Randy Moss.' The Jets were saying, 'That's where we want the ball to go.' "

As for why the Pats didn't combat that strategy when the Jets took away Welker and Hernandez, Dilfer said he understands why did Brady always seem to be looking to Moss first.

Dilfer said that a quarterback typically abandons his usual practice of going through his read progressions when the No. 1 receiver finds himself with man-to-man coverage.

"If that happens, that becomes your first read," Dilfer said. "Everything else is secondary."

Beyond that, Dilfer said it came down to winning one-on-one battles, and Moss either wasn't put in the best position to win them or simply came up on the losing end.

"If you're a quarterback, you have to be a little more accurate, and your receivers have to make plays for you," Dilfer said. "Tom wasn't his most accurate outside. He was very accurate in the middle of the field, but he wasn't very accurate on the perimeter. And his receivers, Randy especially, couldn't get enough separation to make plays."

Moss, in fact, talked after the game about those battles, and having to play better because more is expected of him. The question now is whether more defenses will attempt to duplicate the strategy and bait Brady to go away from the middle of the field.

"I think the dilemma for other teams is, 'How much confidence do we have letting the Patriots take shots to Randy Moss?' " Dilfer said ."If teams keep challenging Randy Moss with aggressive one-on-one bump-and-run coverage, (the Patriots) are going to keep taking shots. And I'll tell you, Tom's not going to miss often. But on the flipside, I don't know of any team that can play matchup zone with Welker and Hernandez."

Dilfer is especially impressed with Hernandez. Watching him on film against the Jets, Dilfer said he was open most of the time, and posed the biggest matchup advantage for the Pats.

"You can't cover him," Dilfer said. "He's going to be as good an interior receiver as this league has. The Jets had no answer for him."

Watching the "all 22" coaches' film, Dilfer was also able to see that Hernandez was wide open right before Jason Taylor's late strip-sack of Brady, which sealed the win.

"If he looked to Hernandez, the sack never would have happened," Dilfer said. "He looks at Welker first. When they bracket Welker, his eyes should go right over the safety to Hernandez as second read. For some reason, Tom goes Welker-Moss, and gets hit backside. If he goes Welker-Hernandez, he throws it, it's a touchdown. I watched it 10 times. Hernandez just smokes his guy off the line of scrimmage. Moss was blanketed."

 

[countingcrow]

Some eye-opening comments [bolded] about Hernandez from Trent Dilfer in a Boston Herald interview:

Former NFL quarterback Trent Dilfer has a keen eye when it comes to assessing and breaking down game film. The ESPN analyst has always had a pretty good handle on Tom Brady and the Patriots offense and what makes them tick, especially after a few hours in the film room. Having studied the tape of last week's 28-14 Pats loss to the Jets, Dilfer was struck by several things. The most compelling? The Jets were daring Brady to throw to Randy Moss in the second half.

"Usually, it's not that simple, but in this case, it was," Dilfer said in a phone interview Wednesday. "I really believe the Jets forced the ball to be spit out to the outside to Randy Moss. That's where they wanted the ball to go. They played him hard inside with their corner (Antonio) Cromartie, and they chased. ... They said, 'Go ahead, take your shots.' "

The Jets had lost shutdown cornerback Darrelle Revis to a hamstring injury in the second quarter and came out of the halftime locker room having made some adjustments to their coverages. In the first half, according to Dilfer, the Jets were playing a lot of combination coverages. They played more zone or "matchup zone profiles," as he called them.

"When the Patriots get those profile of defenses, they are much more efficient working the middle of the field," Dilfer said. "Most of their offense is tailored and built on working between the numbers and getting to (Wes) Welker and (Aaron) Hernandez, who are huge weapons in those profiles. Those guys are just going to torch people in the middle of the field.

"In the second half, the Jets played far fewer of those coverages. They went to a one-high (safety), man-coverage scheme and they pressed Randy almost every single down. They were more aggresive at the line of scrimmage. They decided they were going to try to make Tom throw to the perimeter. You might say, 'Oh, that's Randy Moss.' The Jets were saying, 'That's where we want the ball to go.' "

As for why the Pats didn't combat that strategy when the Jets took away Welker and Hernandez, Dilfer said he understands why did Brady always seem to be looking to Moss first.

Dilfer said that a quarterback typically abandons his usual practice of going through his read progressions when the No. 1 receiver finds himself with man-to-man coverage.

"If that happens, that becomes your first read," Dilfer said. "Everything else is secondary."

Beyond that, Dilfer said it came down to winning one-on-one battles, and Moss either wasn't put in the best position to win them or simply came up on the losing end.

"If you're a quarterback, you have to be a little more accurate, and your receivers have to make plays for you," Dilfer said. "Tom wasn't his most accurate outside. He was very accurate in the middle of the field, but he wasn't very accurate on the perimeter. And his receivers, Randy especially, couldn't get enough separation to make plays."

Moss, in fact, talked after the game about those battles, and having to play better because more is expected of him. The question now is whether more defenses will attempt to duplicate the strategy and bait Brady to go away from the middle of the field.

"I think the dilemma for other teams is, 'How much confidence do we have letting the Patriots take shots to Randy Moss?' " Dilfer said ."If teams keep challenging Randy Moss with aggressive one-on-one bump-and-run coverage, (the Patriots) are going to keep taking shots. And I'll tell you, Tom's not going to miss often. But on the flipside, I don't know of any team that can play matchup zone with Welker and Hernandez."

Dilfer is especially impressed with Hernandez. Watching him on film against the Jets, Dilfer said he was open most of the time, and posed the biggest matchup advantage for the Pats.

"You can't cover him," Dilfer said. "He's going to be as good an interior receiver as this league has. The Jets had no answer for him."

Watching the "all 22" coaches' film, Dilfer was also able to see that Hernandez was wide open right before Jason Taylor's late strip-sack of Brady, which sealed the win.

"If he looked to Hernandez, the sack never would have happened," Dilfer said. "He looks at Welker first. When they bracket Welker, his eyes should go right over the safety to Hernandez as second read. For some reason, Tom goes Welker-Moss, and gets hit backside. If he goes Welker-Hernandez, he throws it, it's a touchdown. I watched it 10 times. Hernandez just smokes his guy off the line of scrimmage. Moss was blanketed."

Thanks for posting that. Awesome read.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

"You can't cover him," Dilfer said. "He's going to be as good an interior receiver as this league has. The Jets had no answer for him."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm out *slamsmoneydownontable*

 

[ft_ball_fn]

"You can't cover him," Dilfer said. "He's going to be as good an interior receiver as this league has. The Jets had no answer for him."

aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaand I'm out *slamsmoneydownontable*

Pretty happy with Hernandez totals... 78 total yards is a nice day. And with Taylor down I think he gets more looks..

 

[H.K.]

From rotoworld:

Aaron Hernandez-TE- Patriots Sep. 27 - 8:12 am et Aaron Hernandez was on the field for 52 of the Patriots' 68 offensive snaps Sunday.Hernandez's arrow is pointing way up. He played 29 snaps in Week 1 and 38 in Week 2 before this major spike. The rookie is being used in almost every offensive package and he's the one that picked up a lot of the slack with Kevin Faulk (torn ACL) out. Hernandez is flirting with legit TE1 status.Source: ESPN Boston

 

[Abraham]

Gotskowkiwiwiski (sp) appears to be the redzone guy while Hernandez is more the yardage guy. The Globe beat writer predicted Gronkoswki (sp, again) would catch 10 TDs and I agree with him.

 

[rabidfireweasel]

I think in the long term you could own either, but would likely prefer Hernandez.

Couple of observations from NE homer fans watching mini-camps:

Gronk is absolutely huge- a legit 6'6" 260. He will be used on play action near the goal line. I think you will see him and Crumpler as the TE's in very short yardage. He has good hands, and a willing, capable but uneven and unpolished blocker. He will completely blow up a line backer on one play and whiff on another. By mid-season, if they go single TE (which I believe they will do less often) I think it will be Gronk.

Hernandez has great hands and runs great routes. Right now, he is a useless blocker. He typically lines up in the slot, but could be split out wide. Brady looks for him regularly.

The big question for this year, is how many balls will go around- NE wants to run a bit more, and with Moss, Welker, Edelman, Gonk, Hernanez and Tate, how much is left for the second tier guys. In the longer run, I think Hernandez could be excellent and Gronk will be a lesser FF starter and great back up (I see TE 8-14 numbers for him).

I appreciate the input, but have we ever seen one team with two top 15 TE's in a season? Seems a bit farfetched. Only way I could see that happening is if one of them (Hernandez) gets a lot of the catches and yards, and the other (gronk) gets a lot of touchdowns.

There is still a long way to go- but in my non-ppr league- 6pts all TD's, Hernandez is TE9 and Gronkowski is TE15.

 

[That Little Voice]

Witten on bye. No worries...Hernandez TE5 on wk 4 Prelim PPR Cheatsheet. Also plays on MNF so I get to see him in action.

 

[Ted Lange as your Bartender]

Witten on bye. No worries...Hernandez TE5 on wk 4 Prelim PPR Cheatsheet. Also plays on MNF so I get to see him in action.

Same here Plus another league I'm rolling with Hernandez as my flex due to RB byes and general lack of depth (thanks Spiller)

 

[LOCO]

Shiancoe and Keller both exceeded 85 yds. against Miami the past couple of weeks. I'm thinking big things for Aaron Hernandez this week. I'm starting Hernandez over Vernon Davis in one league, I'm sold.

 

[DepthCharts]

For the first time in my fantasy life I have drafted 2 notable TE's with picks I normally wouldn't spend on (Gates and Witten at auction draft). RB-WR-TE flex in a 12 team PPR.

We only get 7 reserves.

I now have 3 TE's for the first time in my fantasy life just so no one else gets thh upgrade at TE. This is my thinking

Welcome Aaron(before game 3)...since my WR's suck (what else do you expect when you go gates/witten??) you will be an upgrade over witten (bye 4) this week at the flex

I believe he's (Aaron Hernandez) worth a roster spot even if he doesnt see my lineup all year.

 

[NeverEnough]

I've been sold on Hernandez. I am rolling with him while SHiancoe is on bye.

 

[Cassius]

Snap count for the Miami game last night:

TE Aaron Hernandez – 50 of 58

WR Randy Moss – 46 of 58

WR Wes Welker – 43 of 58

WR Brandon Tate – 31 of 58

TE Alge Crumpler – 30 of 58

RB Danny Woodhead – 28 of 58

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 24 of 58

TE Rob Gronkowski – 24 of 58

RB/FB Sammy Morris – 6 of 58

WR Julian Edelman – 5 of 58

FB Dan Connolly – 2 of 58

WR Matthew Slater – 1 of 58

For those who didn't watch the game, Hernandez had a 35 yard catch called back on a holding call.

 

[That Little Voice]

Snap count for the Miami game last night:

TE Aaron Hernandez – 50 of 58

WR Randy Moss – 46 of 58

WR Wes Welker – 43 of 58

WR Brandon Tate – 31 of 58

TE Alge Crumpler – 30 of 58

RB Danny Woodhead – 28 of 58

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 24 of 58

TE Rob Gronkowski – 24 of 58

RB/FB Sammy Morris – 6 of 58

WR Julian Edelman – 5 of 58

FB Dan Connolly – 2 of 58

WR Matthew Slater – 1 of 58

For those who didn't watch the game, Hernandez had a 35 yard catch called back on a holding call.

I am not sure the TDs will come, but the targets and catches will be there. This guy is the real deal.Couldnt help but wonder while watching..how does an obvious playmaker like that last until the 4th round of the draft?

 

[Sabertooth]

Snap count for the Miami game last night:

TE Aaron Hernandez – 50 of 58

WR Randy Moss – 46 of 58

WR Wes Welker – 43 of 58

WR Brandon Tate – 31 of 58

TE Alge Crumpler – 30 of 58

RB Danny Woodhead – 28 of 58

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 24 of 58

TE Rob Gronkowski – 24 of 58

RB/FB Sammy Morris – 6 of 58

WR Julian Edelman – 5 of 58

FB Dan Connolly – 2 of 58

WR Matthew Slater – 1 of 58

For those who didn't watch the game, Hernandez had a 35 yard catch called back on a holding call.

I agree. The target count is there. The touchdowns will come. He's a WR playing TE. Fantasy gold.

 

[Cassius]

Two words: Dallas and Clark.

 

[Sabertooth]

Two words: Dallas and Clark.

Two more.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

Couldnt help but wonder while watching..how does an obvious playmaker like that last until the 4th round of the draft?

Smoking dope and a maybe some other issues while in school. Amazing that he'll turn 21 next month and I thought I heard that he has the most receiving yardage for a rookie TE through the first 3 games in the history of the league?

 

[That Little Voice]

Couldnt help but wonder while watching..how does an obvious playmaker like that last until the 4th round of the draft?

Smoking dope and a maybe some other issues while in school. Amazing that he'll turn 21 next month and I thought I heard that he has the most receiving yardage for a rookie TE through the first 3 games in the history of the league?

Hernandez himself has to be loving it. 21 years old and steps into a prominent role with a perennial contender catching passes from a HOFer. Just an awesome situation.

 

[tigerz]

Snap count for the Miami game last night:

TE Aaron Hernandez – 50 of 58

WR Randy Moss – 46 of 58

WR Wes Welker – 43 of 58

WR Brandon Tate – 31 of 58

TE Alge Crumpler – 30 of 58

RB Danny Woodhead – 28 of 58

RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis – 24 of 58

TE Rob Gronkowski – 24 of 58

RB/FB Sammy Morris – 6 of 58

WR Julian Edelman – 5 of 58

FB Dan Connolly – 2 of 58

WR Matthew Slater – 1 of 58

For those who didn't watch the game, Hernandez had a 35 yard catch called back on a holding call.

Thanks for the snap count. Was considering dropping him since he was my 3rd TE on a short bench but I'll hold him during the bye until I've found my Vernon Davis for this year.

 

[ponchsox]

Is Hernandez the next Finley in NE?

 

[Choke]

Is Hernandez the next Finley in NE?

Jermicahel Finley Jr.

I had almost started a thread in the preseason this year calling him JF Jr. (After I was done with my fbg survivor draft)Including the super hype in the offseason after Moss left. Well now things have been sped up even faster.

 

[Football Jones]

This was a legitimate debate in the preseason, but it all comes down to how they were going to incorporate each TE into their offense. Make no mistake, Gronkowski is an outstanding prospect.

Right now, it's not close. The PT is going to Hernandez. I do caution people about New England's offense, though. Obviously, they've determined Hernandez gives them more options currently, but that may not always be the case. Gronkowski is a good receiver in his own right & if/when they believe they need his blocking ability (Hernandez is a poor blocker), Gronkowski would likely get the majority of the PT.

Those comparing Hernandez to Finley need to remember this isn't the Packer's offense. Their systems are much, much different. While the Pack can feature Finley, this likely won't be the case with Hernandez. This may ultimately be a case of Hernandez being an elite NFL player, but not necessarily an elite FFer.

They tend not to feature any particular player on offense. Their whole scheme revolves around hyper-utilizing a player's best attribute, & by default, that typically means no one player will be featured. Lots to be determined with these two TEs yet. It'll be interesting to see what happens going forward, but Hernandez has a pretty good-sized lead right now.

 

[Tackling Dummies]

Assuming the Moss deal is completed, Hernandez's stock goes bananas.

 

[That Little Voice]

 

[H.K.]

Through four weeks:

Player Targets

Wes Welker 34

Randy Moss 22 (only 1 target last week)

Aaron Hernandez 20

RB's Combined 16

Brandon Tate 14

Rob Gronkowski 7

 

[whodeywhodey]

His ceiling is top 10 WR numbers now.

 

[That Little Voice]

His ceiling is top 10 WR numbers now.

Lets tap the brakes, and I own the guy.

 

[RBM]

His ceiling is top 10 WR numbers now.

 

[David Yudkin]

His ceiling is top 10 WR numbers now.

I like Hernandez as much as the next guy and own him in several leagues. But he might want to get in the end zone before making a run at the WR Top 10.

 

[glock]

His ceiling is top 10 WR numbers now.

I like Hernandez as much as the next guy and own him in several leagues. But he might want to get in the end zone before making a run at the WR Top 10.

Somebody's Top 200 had Hernandez challenging none other than Jerimichael Finley amongst TEs last night... ...but now he appears to be firmly entrenched in the # 10 slot?

 

[H.K.]

(Rotoworld) Updating a previous item, Aaron Hernandez's absence from Patriots practice Wednesday was "not injury related."

Anyone have any insight on this today?

 

[H.K.]

(Rotoworld) Updating a previous item, Aaron Hernandez's absence from Patriots practice Wednesday was "not injury related."

Anyone have any insight on this today?

ESPN Boston‘s Mike Reiss originally reported that Hernandez’s absence was undisclosed. Greg Bedard of the Boston Globe update the rookie’s status, saying that while the exact reason is unknown, it’s not injury related.Hernandez saw just three targets in Sunday’s win vs. Minnesota. He also was on the field for the fewest amount of plays since Week 2.

Still nothing. All we know is severely reduced playing time and not going to practice.

 

[Dr. Awesome]

About ready to cut this guy...

 

[dwashington]

Aaron Hernandez-TE- Patriots Nov. 4 - 12:28 pm et Aaron Hernandez practiced Thursday after missing Wednesday's session for a non-injury related reason.It's not clear why he was away, but he'll be on the field in Week 9. Hernandez's snaps and targets were down in Week 8, and he hasn't experienced the jump up in production since Randy Moss' departure like many were forecasting.Source: Shalise Manza Young on Twitter

 

[shortbow]

Idk how many snaps he was getting, but Gronkowski is in alot of their plays, anything inside the 20 I never see him on the sideline.

Im pretty confident Hernandez will be a WR next year, but I have no idea what his current situation is he was going better than I expected.

 

[Steelers4Life]

The hype on Hernandez is borderline ridiculous and has been for a while now.

He's a good pass catcher, but a lot of tight ends are good pass catchers. Especially in non-PPR leagues, the odds of a very talented TE being an IMPACT TE for fantasy purposes is small enough already, and Gronkowksi has already proven to be the red zone target as evidenced by his 3 TDs... 3 more than Hernandez has.

If he starts catching TD passes, fantastic, he'll be one helluva fantasy TE. That's a HUGE IF. But I've seen nothing so far that makes me think the Pats are going to replace Gronkowksi in the red zone, and he'll get far more attention from defenses that no longer have to worry about any kind of deep threat on the outside.

 

[ponchsox]

Aaron Hernandez owners finally getting rewarded, 2 TD breakout game.

 

[dgr81]

brady keeps looking for gronkowski even though hernandez is clearly better.

 

[mizat000]

This situation really confuses me. Hernandez wasn't even targeted on the first TD he caught even though it was a great catch. He clearly looks like the better receiving option but they have Gronkowski in for more pass plays? Is it because he is that much of a better blocker?

 

[Fireballer]

Unreal. After scanning this entire thread, many people said Gronk would work his way to the top because of his blocking, and that he was a good reciever, also. Looks like yall hit the nail on the head.