The New England Patriots have waived rookie tight end Zach Sudfeld. Rob Gronkowski isn't expected back until around Week 6, but the team needed to free up a roster spot for a DF after putting Vince Wilfork on injured reserve.
Zach Sudfeld loses all fantasy relevance after being waived by Patriots
The Patriots waived Zach Sudfeld after a rough start to his rookie year. We break down the fantasy implications.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports
An undrafted rookie out of Nevada, Sudfeld generated plenty of hype in training camp and the preseason, but that hype never translated to the regular season. Through three games, he had zero catches and was targeted just two times. He struggled with drops, running wrong routes and special teams gaffes.
Fantasy impact: Sudfeld, along with former teammate Kenbrell Thompkins, serves as a cautionary tale of reading too much into preseason hype, especially with untested rookies. The 6'7, 253 pound athlete has enough talent that he may not last long on waivers, but he clearly has a lot of learning to do at the NFL level. He remains someone to watch in Dynasty leagues, but re-draft owners are kicking themselves for burning a draft pick on him.
• Week 5 fantasy football rankings: QB | RB | WR | TE | D/ST
