New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will be active Sunday night despite entering Sunday as a question mark. The tight end missed Week 13 after a scary-looking knee injury, but will be available to the team against the Houston Texans Sunday.
Rob Gronkowski active for Patriots; a must-use for fantasy
The New England tight end missed time with a knee injury, but is active Sunday night. We break down the fantasy implications.
The tight end has 931 yards and nine touchdowns on 57 catches this year. With him out last week, Scott Chandler filled in as New England's No. 1 tight end, catching four passes on seven targets for 61 yards and a score.
Fantasy impact: There is certainly a better-than-zero chance that the Patriots will have Gronkowski active (and on the field) as little more than a decoy, and Chandler -- or Danny Amendola or Brandon LaFell or James White, as Chandler is questionable with an injury of his own -- is the featured receiver. The risk can't be ignored. But still, Rob Gronkowski is Rob Gronkowski; no one at his position has anything like his upside.
The math on Gronkowski is fairly simple: If he's active, you don't have much choice but to use him. Fantasy owners that have Greg Olsen, Gary Barnidge and/or Tyler Eifert could be forgiven for thinking about sticking with the sure things, but for the vast majority of fantasy owners, an active Gronkowski is an in-your-lineup Gronkowski. As for Chandler, he goes from near must-start territory with Gronkowski on the shelf to a super-deep wild-card with Gronkowski active. Time to make other arrangements.
