Patriots TE Jake Ballard was very successful for the New York Giants in 2011 when they won the Super Bowl, catching 38 passes for 604 yards and four touchdowns. He’s coming off an ACL tear and through OTAs and minicamp has appeared rigid. But you can expect him to loosen up as he fully recovers from his injury.
Fantasy Impact:
Ballard could be a sleeper if Rob Gronkowski misses any games, but those expecting him to step into Aaron Hernandez's role (in the slot/out wide) are going to be disappointed. He's an in-line TE, that's it.