Raridon replaced Austin Hooper as the Patriots' backup tight end behind Hunter Henry this season.
In Week 1, Henry only played 54. 5% of early-down snaps out of 11 personnel, with the rest going to Raridon. Raridon suffered his thigh injury early in Week 2, leading him to be out in Week 3. Tanner Arkin was the No. 1 backup last week, followed by Cameron Latu. This week, Raridon played 22 snaps in single-tight end sets on early downs compared to 19 by Henry. Henry still dominated 11 personnel snaps on third downs, giving Henry more fantasy value. However, it’s notable Henry only has a 61. 9% route participation rate in the two games where Raridon has stayed healthy compared to 68. 3% in games where Raridon has mostly missed. Henry has been a borderline fantasy starting tight end, but this kind of dip in route participation rate could be the difference between rostering and not rostering Henry. This split will be worth monitoring going forward, as it’s possible Raridon will see more playing time as the season progresses.
Tom Christ·
Injury: Abdominal injury Expected Time Missed: Expected to play Monday night Bigsby is good to go for Week 3 after dealing with an abdominal injury during the practice week. He missed Thursday's practice before returning as a limited participant Friday and has now been cleared to play Monday night against Chicago. Abdominal injuries can be challenging for a running back because the trunk musculature contributes to nearly every athletic movement, including acceleration, cutting, absorbing contact, and maintaining stability while defenders attempt to bring the runner down. Bigsby's ability to return to practice and ultimately receive clearance to play is reassuring that the injury is not creating significant functional limitations. The bigger issue for fantasy purposes is opportunity rather than the injury itself. Bigsby has established himself as the primary backup to Saquon Barkley, but Barkley is also expected to play and should handle the majority of the workload. I don't expect the abdominal injury to meaningfully change Bigsby's role. His biggest fantasy value remains as Barkley's primary handcuff rather than a standalone Week 3 option. Wide Receivers
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