I’m convinced that Aaron Hernandez was going to be this year’s No. 2 fantasy tight end behind Jimmy Graham. It makes this 4-6 week ankle injury even tougher to swallow.
Don’t drop Hernandez, though. He’ll still be a difference-maker in the fantasy playoffs, when we need him most. Keep grinding the wire to make sure you get to the playoffs:
1. Martellus Bennett, TE, Giants: Bennett always had the skills and athleticism, but he was buried behind Jason Witten in Dallas. Now he’s breaking out as a Giant and they will be in a ton of shootouts thanks to a brutal secondary. Bennett is a prime red-zone target for Eli.
2. Dennis Pitta, TE, Ravens: Pitta has already racked up 23 targets in just two games, tying him for fifth in the league among ALL pass-catchers. With Joe Flacco running a hurry-up and Anquan Boldin inept, Pitta is a prime target.
3. Kyle Rudolph, TE, Vikings: We talked about this one all preseason. Rudolph is playing every snap for the Vikings and has an elite catch radius.
4. Andre Brown, RB, Giants: Ahmad Bradshaw has a neck sprain and David Wilson is in the doghouse. Consider Brown a decent plug-n-play.
5. Mikel Leshoure, RB, Lions: Leshoure is off suspension and the Lions appear to have soured on Kevin Smith. he’s not a great fit in a pass-first offense, but Leshoure will be used in the Stevan Ridley role for the Lions.
