FANTASY FOOTBALL NFL PLAYERS

Posted: 4/22/2013 12:39pm et

Updating previous reports, New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez could need around four months to recover from shoulder surgery. He could be put on the Physically Unable to Perform list when training camp opens.

Huddle Up: A four-month time frame still puts Hernandez back on the field for the start of the regular season, but between he and Rob Gronkowski's respective rehabs the top of the tight end fantasy draft board is looking a little bit shaky.

Posted: 4/17/2013 10:11am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez is expected to be ready for the start of training camp after undergoing shoulder surgery earlier this offseason.

Huddle Up: The Patriots are all kinds of banged up at tight end, which has been a position of strength for them in the past. Hernandez should be good to go for camp, which would give him a leg up on Rob Gronkowski and perhaps make him the more productive fantasy target early in the 2013 season.

Posted: 4/16/2013 12:41pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (shoulder) underwent shoulder surgery this offseason. He's unlikely to participate in OTAs and mini-camps this spring.

Huddle Up: The Pats' formidable TE duo of Hernandez and Rob Gronkowski hasn't been so fearsome of late due to injuries. The 2 combined to miss 11 games this past season, and the concerns have carried over into the offseason. Sure, there's still plenty of time before Sept. rolls around, but both players deserve a red flag -- or at least an asterisk -- on fantasy draft boards.

Posted: 2/6/2013 2:54pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez has rented a place in Southern California, in order to participate in offseason workouts with QB Tom Brady.

Huddle Up: While Gronk is out clubbing, Hernandez appears ready to put in some extra work with his quarterback. It's splitting hairs among the elite tight ends, but it could be a factor in next season's passing game pecking order--and the difference between jumping on Hernandez a round earlier than the rest of your league.

Posted: 12/26/2012 8:17pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited during practice Wednesday, Dec. 26.

Huddle Up: It's a dicey time for Hernandez's fantasy owners who saw the TE catch only 1 pass for 13 yards in Week 16, and now there's the possibility of a Rob Gronkowski return Sunday. You most likely don't have a better option, but don't be shocked if it's another sub-par showing for Hernandez.

Posted: 12/11/2012 1:42pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez hauled in eight receptions for 58 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the Week 14 game against the Houston Texans Monday, Dec. 10. It was Hernandez's third-career multi-TD game, and his first since Week 15 of his rookie season in 2010.

Huddle Up: Eighteen of Hernandez's 37 catches and 155 of his 337 receiving yards have come in the past 2 weeks as the TE finally looks to be past his nagging ankle issues. The Pats still have plenty of other offensive threats but as long as fellow TE Rob Gronkowski remains sidelined, count on Hernandez seeing plenty of opportunities and he remains a no-brainer fantasy start.

Posted: 12/8/2012 11:03pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) and was a limited participant in practice Saturday, Dec. 8, for the third consecutive day. He is listed as questionable for the Week 14 game against the Houston Texans on Monday, Dec. 10. WRs Wes Welker (ankle) and Brandon Lloyd (knee) also were limited Saturday and are questionable as well.

Huddle Up: Aside from Rob Gronkowski and Julian Edelman, who are out, just about every New England pass catcher is listed as limited and questionable. It is, after all, the Patriot Way. Count on Hernandez playing Monday night, though, and seeing plenty of targets coming off his most productive game (8-97) of the season.

Posted: 11/23/2012 12:25am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) had two catches for 36 yards in the Week 12 game against the New York Jets Thursday, Nov. 22, in his return to action. He also had a touchdown called back after he was whistled for offensive pass interference.

Huddle Up: Hernandez saw his first action since Week 7 and was targeted 3 times. Overall, with No. 1 TE Rob Gronkowski (broken forearm) out, the TEs were not a big part of the Pats' game plan with Daniel Fells targeted twice and finishing with 1 catch for 24 yards.

Posted: 11/21/2012 11:53pm et

Updating previous reports, New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) will be active for the team's Week 12 game against the New York Jets Thursday, Nov. 21, but he'll be limited in the game. TE Visanthe Shiancoe could see more targets as a result.

Huddle Up: This scenario obviously hurts the fantasy prospects of both players, although Hernandez's owners pretty much have to start him this week and roll with the ups and downs after enduring weeks with the TE sitting inactive on the bench.

Posted: 11/21/2012 2:52pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (knee) will play in the team's Week 12 game against the New York Jets Thursday, Nov. 22, barring any late setbacks.

Huddle Up: As expected, get Hernandez in your lineups. He is no Rob Gronkowski, but he should have good fantasy output going forward, assuming he can stay healthy.

Posted: 11/20/2012 5:37pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) said he expects to pick up the slack after TE Rob Gronkowski (forearm) suffered a broken arm in Week 11. 'Whatever the change is, we've just got to make plays and fill that void that we're going to be missing,' Hernandez said. Hernandez is still bothered by an ankle sprain, though, and hasn't played since Oct. 21. A decision on whether Hernandez will play Thursday, Nov. 22, will be made later this week.

Huddle Up: The Patriots were hit hard by the injury to Rob Gronkowski, but it will be mitigated by Hernandez's return. They are different players—Hernandez will never replicate Gronkowski's insane production at the position—but the Patriots offense should not slow down too much thanks to Hernandez's presence. He will be a great fantasy option going forward.

Posted: 11/19/2012 1:42am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is expected to return to action in Week 12 against the New York Jets Thursday, Nov. 22.

Huddle Up: That would be a timely return as fellow TE Rob Gronkonski will be out indefinitely after suffering a broken forearm in Sunday's win over the Colts. Hernandez has see extended action in only 3 games this season.

Posted: 11/16/2012 2:59pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is not expected to play Week 11 because of his ankle injury.

Huddle Up: One of the more frustrating fantasy players of the season misses yet another week as he recovers. Unfortunately, there is no alternative in New England; Rob Gronkowski is probably not a free agent in your league. Look to guys like Dwayne Allen or James Casey if you do not have a competent backup.

Posted: 11/14/2012 7:00pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited during practice Wednesday, Nov. 14.

Huddle Up: Hernandez's fantasy owners have hit the panic stage with the TE having caught a pass in only 3 contests this season. He's missed the past 2 games, and even a bye week thrown in the middle didn't help. It's getting tiresome, but keep checking the Pats' practice reports to see if there's been any sign of progress.

Posted: 11/11/2012 4:45pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was declared inactive and did not play in the team's Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills.

Huddle Up: With Hernandez missing his sixth start of the season, the Bills were able to focus on TE Rob Gronkowski, limiting him to 3 catches for 31 yards and a TD. Hernandez was close to playing coming off a bye week, but the Pats opted to give the TE another week of rest with the late-season homestretch in mind.

Posted: 11/10/2012 10:41pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is not expected to play in the Week 10 game against the Buffalo Bills due to his lingering ankle injury.

Huddle Up: It's now officially time to really worry for Hernandez's fantasy owners. Even sitting out Week 8 and Week 9's bye week weren't enough to get Hernandez and his stubborn ankle back on the field. Even more troubling, the Pats activated TE Visanthe Shiancoe from IR Saturday, giving the team 5 TEs (Hernandez, Rob Gronkowski, Daniel Fells, Michael Hoomanawanui and Shiancoe) on the roster.

Posted: 11/9/2012 7:50pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited during practice Friday, Nov. 9, and is listed as questionable for Week 10.

Huddle Up: Hernandez was limited in practice all week and joins just about everyone on the Pats' roster with a questionable tag. His fantasy owners are likely going to have to wait until Sunday morning for a final determination.

Posted: 11/7/2012 5:30pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (personal, ankle) returned to practice Wednesday, Nov. 7. It was the first time Hernandez has practiced since Oct. 24, as Hernandez has also been dealing with an ankle issue.

Huddle Up: Hopefully the Patriots aren't bringing Hernandez back too soon this time. A few weeks after scoring a touchdown in his first return from an ankle injury, it looks like he could be back. Check his status throughout the week.

Posted: 11/6/2012 4:00pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (personal) did not participate in practice Tuesday, Nov. 6. Hernandez was celebrating the birth of his first child. It is unclear whether Hernandez would have practiced anyway after suffering a setback to an ankle issue he has been dealing with.

Huddle Up: Hernandez has started and finished only 3 games so far, and to say his fantasy owners are getting antsy is an understatement. It's still early in the week, though, so see what develops.

Posted: 10/26/2012 11:46am et

NFL Network's Albert Breer reports Aaron Hernandez (ankle) did not travel with the Patriots to London for Week 8 versus the Rams.

Huddle Up: A bit of a surprise since Hernandez seemed to be on the same practice track as last week. But a setback in Thursday's practice must have been more serious than first thought and the Pats are going to shut him down for at least this week.

Posted: 10/20/2012 10:04pm et

New York Jets CB Antonio Cromartie is likely to cover New England Patriots WR Brandon Lloyd in Week 7; however, he could be lined up against TE Aaron Hernandez. Cromartie has done a good job of covering pass-catching tight ends in the past, including Hernandez. Do not expect Cromartie to see much of WR Wes Welker. Cromartie's body type and skill set make him ill-equipped to handle the smaller, quicker receivers. He isn't great against receivers that work the underneath routes as he tends to grab, resulting in penalty flags.

Huddle Up: With the Pats, it's pick your poison for opposing defenses, but obviously, Hernandez's and Lloyd's fantasy owners would rather see the Jets' top cover man lined up on the other guy.

Posted: 10/20/2012 12:19am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is expected to play against the New York Jets in Week 7, but the team has been cautious with him since he returned to practice Sept. 27. 'We obviously limited some of the things that we did with him, but he made some important plays for us,' said offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels. 'I thought Aaron tried to do exactly what we wanted him to do with his opportunities, and hopefully that will continue to improve as we go forward.' He was on the field for 38 of the team's 86 plays in Week 6, and he was thrown to nine times. Hernandez said he felt good and came out of the game with no complications.

Huddle Up: Hernandez also had a scoring receptions among his 6 catches for 30 yards in Week 6 and didn't appear to suffer any kind of setback. Definitely keep plugging him into your starting lineup as needed.

Posted: 10/18/2012 6:44pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) did not participate in practice Thursday, Oct. 18.

Huddle Up: According to the Boston Herald, Hernandez was out to receive treatment on his injured ankle. The TE, who returned this past week following a 4-game absence, still should be in line to play Sunday, but a late-week injury report double-check never has hurt any fantasy owner.

Posted: 10/13/2012 7:22pm et

Updating a previous item, New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said Friday, Oct. 12, that TE Aaron Hernandez's (ankle) status for Week 6 may not be decided until prior to game time. 'We'll have the day to evaluate it on Saturday, and we'll see where we're at on Sunday. It could be a game-time decision,' Belichick said. Hernandez had a travel bag in front of his locker; however, that doesn't necessarily mean that he will travel, as there have been times in the past when a player has had a travel bag in front of his locker and not made the trip.

Huddle Up: We've come to expect nothing less from the Patriots, who seem to relish in keeping fantasy owners guessing. Complicating matters is that Sunday's game is a late-afternoon kickoff, and most fantasy owners will have to make their starting lineup decisions well beforehand.

Posted: 10/12/2012 2:18pm et

The New England Patriots are not saying whether TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) will play in Week 6 against the Seattle Seahawks on the road, and he wasn't spotted at the start of practice Friday, Oct. 12. However, it sounds as though Hernandez will make the trip across the country to Seattle.

Huddle Up: Considering it seems he did not practice, banking on a Hernandez start would be risky. The Seahawks have done a good job against tight ends as well, so starting a limited Hernandez may not be in the best interests of his owners. Wait until he is a full go.

Posted: 10/11/2012 10:01pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited during practice Thursday, Oct. 11.

Huddle Up: Herandez was limited for a second-straight practice as he hopes to play Sunday for the first time since going down with his injured ankle in Week 2.

Posted: 10/10/2012 11:14pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) went through practice Wednesday, Oct. 10, on a limited basis.

Huddle Up: Hernandez made a lot of progress last week and was close to playing in Week 5. That has led many to forecast a Week 6 return, but he's still going to have to get in some quality work in practice this week. Knowing the Pats, it likely will come down to a game-time decision Sunday.

Posted: 10/6/2012 6:12pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) may not be active Week 5 even though he was able to take part in practice this week. The Patriots may consider Week 6 as a more realistic return date for Hernandez.

Huddle Up: Herandez is getting close to returning, but a Week 5 return has been considered a longshot, even with the TE practicing throughout the week.

Posted: 10/5/2012 5:01pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limited during practice Friday, Oct. 5, and is listed as questionable for Week 5.

Huddle Up: This is interesting coming out of New England. Hernandez has practiced for two days in a row now, and this would mark an early return for him. Considering Julian Edelman is out, Hernandez could see some playing time. Do not risk him in your lineup until he is fully back to action, though.

Posted: 10/4/2012 5:33pm et

Updating a previous report, New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) was limping during the early portion of positional drills during practice Thursday, Oct. 4, but looked fine later in the drills when he really had to stutter-step and plant his foot before turning for the ball.

Huddle Up: Hernandez clearly is making progress but this Sunday likely still is a little soon to expect him back in game action.

Posted: 10/3/2012 7:48pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) is not participating in practice Wednesday, Oct. 3.

Huddle Up: Don't expect Hernandez back until Week 6 at the earliest and possibly not until after the Pats' bye on Nov. 4.

Posted: 9/27/2012 3:31pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez appears to be healing faster than expected.

Huddle Up: The Patriots' release of Kellen Winslow suggests that Hernandez is close to returning. The initial timeframe given was two to six weeks; now reports out of New England are suggesting it will ultimately be a four-week injury for Hernandez, which would put him back on the field in Week 6.

Posted: 9/18/2012 12:15pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez will miss four to six weeks with a low ankle sprain.

Huddle Up: The injury being termed a "low" ankle sprain is good news, but the timetable remains roughly the same. Don't bank on Hernandez for at least a month. The Patriots signed Kellen Winslow to fill Hernandez's spot; that could get interesting.

Posted: 9/17/2012 3:21pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (knee) is expected to miss a few weeks because of the ankle injury he suffered Week 2. He likely will not return until October at the earliest.

Huddle Up: We are getting a lot of varying reports of the length of recovery time, but it appears he will miss anywhere from 2-6 weeks.

Posted: 9/17/2012 11:16am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez will have an MRI on his right ankle Monday, Sept. 17, according to a league source. Following Week 2, Hernandez left the stadium with the assistance of crutches, wearing a walking boot on his ankle. It remains unclear how long the injury will keep Hernandez out; however, X-rays on the ankle reportedly did not reveal a broken bone.

Huddle Up: Early reports are that Hernandez suffered a high ankle sprain and will miss between two and six weeks of action, but the MRI should reveal more information about the injury. Whether Bill Belichick reveals any of that information to the media, however, is another story.

Posted: 9/16/2012 9:53pm et

Updating a previous report, a source with knowledge of the situation to New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez (ankle) said the injury might cause Hernandez to miss up to six weeks. Hernandez left the Week 2 game against the Arizona Cardinals with an ankle injury.

Huddle Up: The injury, which happened when WR Julian Edelman fell on his ankle, looked ugly, and that's reflected by the prognosis.

Posted: 9/16/2012 6:14pm et

Updating previous reports, New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez is believed to have suffered a high-ankle sprain in the first quarter of Sunday's game against the Cardinals and will not return.

Huddle Up: Hernandez was a big part of the Pats' Week 1 win with 6 catches for 59 yards and a TD but he left before recording a reception in Sunday's loss. As long as he's out, that will mean more targets -- and defensive attention -- for fellow TE Rob Gronkowski.

Posted: 9/10/2012 12:24pm et

New England Patriots TEs Rob Gronkowski and Aaron Hernandez played 67 of 67 offensive snaps in Week 1.

Huddle Up: No surprise that both Gronk and Hernandez were the mainstays of the New England passing game; both are top-five fantasy contributors at their position. However, with both of them on the field Wes Welker's targets took a significant hit.

Posted: 8/27/2012 11:52am et

The New England Patriots and TE Aaron Hernandez have reached agreement on a long-term extension, according to a source with knowledge of the situation. The new deal runs through the 2018 season, according to a source.

Huddle Up: Looks as if the Patriots' two-TE approach is here to stay. The expectation is that Hernandez will cut into some of Rob Gronkowski's production this season as well as take some of Wes Welker's slot work--maybe all of it starting next season, as Welker is in the final season of his Patriots' contract.

Posted: 7/4/2012 12:58pm et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez could be ready to have a huge 2012 campaign. With opposing defenses focusing on fellow TE Rob Gronkowski, WR Wes Welker underneath and WR Brandon Lloyd on the outside, Hernandez has a chance to catch 100 passes and double-digit touchdowns. He did record 79 receptions last year despite missing some time due to injury.

Huddle Up: Yes, Hernandez caught 79 passes despite missing two and a half games. He also added five carries out of the backfield. Hernandez has been going off the board in the sixth round, a full four rounds later than Gronkowski.

Posted: 6/18/2012 2:22am et

New England Patriots TE Aaron Hernandez was sent home for showing up late for organized team activities June 7. Even though the workouts are voluntary, the coaches wanted players who took part in the workouts to be on time because they had a detailed agenda. Hernandez was on the field during minicamp the next week.

Huddle Up: This is probably much ado about nothing, but if you're eyeing Hernandez this season go ahead and point this out to others in your league. Go ahead and mention his off-field issues coming into the league as well; maybe you'll be able to drive his value down a round or two.