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Rob Gronkowski won't play in Friday's preseason game, but he remains optimistic about the season opener. We break down the fantasy implications.
New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski will not play in the team's third preseason game on Friday. New England will be taking on the Carolina Panthers, and the news that Gronkowski will miss is unsurprising. However, there have been no setbacks, and things are still looking good for Gronkowski. Everything is "still on course" for him to play in Week 1, according to Albert Breer of the NFL Network.
The Patriots are "optimistic, but not certain about Week 1," according to Breer's report. Gronkowski has had a positive outlook on his prospects to play in Week 1 for much of this offseason, and has recently stated that he plans on playing a full 16-game season. Of course, he can't control future injuries, but it's a good sign that he plans to be ready to go for the opener.
Fantasy Impact: Gronkowski being inactive for Friday's preseason game is totally unsurprising, of course. It's a shame for fantasy owners who would like to see the tight end in action before drafting him, but that's the way it is with Gronk. He can be the best tight end in the league, or he could get injured five minutes after you draft him. He's probably worth the risk, in any case.
