Aaron Hernandez Injury: How Much Will Rob Gronkowski Benefit?

One half of the New England Patriots' two-headed tight end monster could be out for a while, as Aaron Hernandez has a sprained MCL.

The second-year player could be out as long as a month, meaning his other half, Rob Gronkowski, will likely see a lot more attention.

Gronkowski and Hernandez were rookies together last season and combined to catch 87 passes for 1,109 yards and 16 touchdowns. Through two games this season, Hernandez has 14 catches for 165 yards and two touchdowns while Gronkowski has 10 catches for 172 yards and three scores.

Honestly, the Patriots hit home runs when they took both tight ends in the 2010 NFL draft. Hernandez was a fourth-round pick out of Florida while Gronkowski was a second-rounder out of Arizona. The two have combined to create a formidable duo that Tom Brady knows he can rely on.

With Hernandez on the shelf, Gronkowski is sure to be targeted even more by Brady. He is already playing a high percentage of New England's snaps (75 of 80 offensive snaps in Week 1) and has established himself as a great red-zone target.

While Hernandez is the more athletic of the two, Gronkowski has been much more solid. The Arizona product caught four passes for 86 yards and two touchdowns in New England's 35-21 win over the San Diego Chargers in Week 2. Both touchdown catches were phenomenal, further demonstrating just how good Gronkowski is.

Hernandez is going to be out for a while, as the Patriots are sure to allow their young tight end the time to fully heal. In his absence, Gronkowski will become a valuable target for Brady, and his numbers are sure to spike.