Aaron Hernandez Injury: Why Rob Gronkowski Is a Must-Start in Fantasy Week 5

New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski's reign as the top tight end in the league remains unthreatened for yet another week, as fellow tight end Aaron Hernandez is unlikely to suit up for the team this Sunday.

Hernandez was absent from the Patriots' practice today, despite a locker room sighting in which he was without a brace on his knee or a noticeable limp. He suffered a sprained MCL in the team's Week 2 contest against the San Diego Chargers.

Without Hernandez, the Patriots have hardly suffered as Gronkowski has been more than capable of picking up his slack. The two were regularly used together when both were healthy, but with a single tight end, the Patriots' explosive offense has held pat.

In four games, Gronkowski has 18 receptions for 296 yards and five touchdowns. He is easily the most valuable fantasy tight end so far this season. He will again be a major factor for the team in their Week 5 game against the New York Jets on Sunday.

If you have Gronkowski, start him. Even if Hernandez were healthy enough to play, Gronkowski still remains a must-start. When the primary targets for Tom Brady are two tight ends, you can't go wrong starting either one of them in your fantasy roster.

When Brady's down to just one—in this case, Gronkowski—then that tight end has as much, if not more value than many starting fantasy wide receivers. Until further notice, always start him (unless he's on a bye week, of course).