Martellus Bennett's Fantasy Outlook After Rob Gronkowski's Injury

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski left Sunday's game against the New York Jets with a back injury and did not return.

It's not entirely clear when Gronkowski went down. He was last targeted by Tom Brady in the second quarter and finished the game without a reception on two targets. Martellus Bennett has taken over the primary tight end duties.

Gronkowski entered Week 12 listed as questionable with a chest injury. He previously sat out last Sunday's win over the San Francisco 49ers with the chest ailment and two other games with a hamstring injury. The severity of Gronkowski's latest injury is unknown, but he has a history of back problems.

Bennett would be the biggest fantasy benefactor if Gronkowski missed extended time. In his first season with the Patriots, the veteran tight end had 39 receptions for 418 yards and four touchdowns coming into Sunday. Three of those scores came in one game, and Bennett has taken a backseat in the offense in recent weeks; he had only one grab for 14 yards with Gronk out last week.

The Patriots see him as much of a protection piece as they do a receiving threat. That's a good thing for Bennett's long-term future in New England, but it won't do much for his fantasy value. The Patriots aren't suddenly going to give him the Gronkowski package and expect him to replicate the production.

Bennett has been inconsistently effective when Gronkowski's been out of the lineup, and there's little reason to expect a big burst. If Gronk's out for a long time, Bennett is a TE1 because he plays in arguably the NFL's best offense. But he's closer to a low-end option—someone in the Dennis Pitta range—than someone who can win you a fantasy championship.

Follow Tyler Conway (@jtylerconway) on Twitter.