Hunter Henry's Stats, Metrics, Game Logs, Projections & Rankings

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (unspecified) won't practice Tuesday. Head coach Jerod Mayo says he doesn't anticipate it being a long-term injury. The issue reportedly emerged during Sunday's practice, leading to Henry sitting out on Monday and now being set to miss at least one more session. After being rested for the preseason opener, he seems unlikely to play in Thursday's exhibition against the Eagles. However, the Patriots don't appear overly concerned about his availability for Week 1. Henry, who signed a three-year deal with New England in 2021, was a top offseason priority for Eliot Wolf, who secured a new three-year contract for him just before he hit free agency. The deal includes a base salary of $27 million, with a maximum value of $30 million, reflecting the franchise's high regard for him. Over his first three seasons with the Patriots, Henry averaged 44 receptions, 510 receiving yards, and six touchdowns per year. Despite experiencing standout games and periods of inconsistency, his production has been solid, especially considering the turnover in offensive coordinators and inconsistent quarterback play. Additionally, New England's offensive line struggles often required him to stay in as an extra blocker. A two-time Pro Bowler, Austin Hooper appears poised to take over as the primary backup, replacing Mike Gesicki from last season. If Henry returns to full health, he could be a reliable bye-week replacement tight end.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry has been the top dog at the position so far in offseason workouts. Henry has been reliable between the numbers for the team's quarterbacks. Along with Henry, seventh-round rookie Jaheim Bell is finding his footing in practices, and his speed to run the seam has become more apparent with each repetition. Austin Hooper has struggled at times to create separation and is set to carve out more of a role as a blocker in the run game than as a receiver. The 29-year-old had a career-low 419 receiving yards in a bad Patriots offense last year, but don't let his six touchdown passes go overlooked. He signed a three-year extension to stay in New England this offseason and should once again be a highly-used red-zone target by either quarterback Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye. Henry could be an intriguing touchdown-dependent TE2 in fantasy, especially if Maye takes the starting job sooner than later.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry was scheduled to be a free agent next week, but the organization signed him to a three-year, $27 million deal on Friday. Henry signed with the Patriots on a three-year deal during the 2021 offseason after five years with the Los Angeles/San Diego Chargers. He's hauled in 143 passes for 1,531 yards and 17 touchdowns in his three years with New England despite poor quarterback play from Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. Unless New England's next quarterback is a vast improvement, Henry will remain a touchdown-dependent fantasy option with limited upside.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (knee) won't suit up for the Week 18 matchup against the New York Jets. The veteran tight end will see his 2023 campaign come to an end with the Pats not in playoff position. He finished with 42 receptions, 419 yards, and six touchdowns in 2023. Henry will come short of his fifth straight 500-plus yard campaign. The 29-year-old looked much better once Bailey Zappe took over under center. His absence on Sunday should mean that Mike Gesicki gets more looks as the No. 1 tight end.

New England Patriots tight ends Hunter Henry (knee) and Pharaoh Brown (ribs) were both limited in practice for the second straight day on Thursday. Henry is trying to make it back for what is expected to be head coach Bill Belichick's last game with the organization after the 29-year-old tight end missed the last two games with a knee injury. In two games before getting hurt, Henry had 10 catches on 12 targets for 106 yards and three touchdowns, so he'll have some low-cost sleeper potential in DFS if he's able to return and serve as a red-zone target for quarterback Bailey Zappe in the Week 18 regular season finale against the New York Jets. If Henry misses the final game of the year, Brown and Mike Gesicki should have bigger roles, but neither would be particularly attractive in fantasy lineups.