You'd have thought Rob Gronkowski's back surgery would be the biggest news involving a Patriots tight end today, but that's not the case. The criminal investigation surrounding Aaron Hernandez is far more worrisome.
The latest developments can be seen at this link from ProFootballTalk. Based on what has been reported thus far, Hernandez himself is not a suspect in the case. But as details continue to emerge, it doesn't seem like there's nothing to be concerned about, either.
We'll keep an eye on developments as the investigation continues, obviously, and there will be plenty of coverage. Focusing on the fantasy ramifications, there's no getting around that New England's top two tight ends have some non-football related issues going on, either health or legal-related. No surprise that Jake Ballard is one of the top adds at www.myfantasyleague.com this week.
Those with an eye to figuring out which tight end is next in line for fantasy relevance should note that Ballard is still limping around after blowing out his knee for the Giants some 15 months ago. Given that, undrafted free agent Zach Sudfeld is also a name to keep in mind. Sudfeld appears to have some receiving ability, having caught 45 passes for 598 yards and 8 TDs at Nevada last year.
Former Ram Michael Hoomanawanui is another name to keep in mind. Don't rush out to grab Ballard when it's far from clear he'll be a fantasy factor even if the Gronkowski and Hernandez stories linger throughout the preseason and beyond.
--Andy Richardson