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When football runs in the family, teams will sometimes give you a shot because of your pedigree. If tight end Asa Watson can follow in the footsteps of his brother Ben Watson and catch passes from Tom Brady, he could be a nice addition to your fantasy football team.
As mentioned, his brother Ben played for the New England Patriots between the 2004-09 seasons. The older Watson never had a huge fantasy impact, but he did score 20 touchdowns during his time with New England. After playing for the Patriots, he bounced around from the Cleveland Browns to the New Orleans Saints and has proven to be a reliable option. This doesn’t mean his undrafted brother will have the same type of success, let alone an NFL career, but drafting any Patriots’ tight end other than super-sleeper Zach Sudfeld has paid large dividends over the last few years.
The younger Watson has his challenges before him. He suffers from a heart condition that has probably scared a few teams away, but he insists that other players have still performed with the ailment that causes a rapid heartbeat. With his 6-foot-3, 237-pound build, Watson is a great target for Brady who can also protect his quarterback. Given Brady’s frustration level with his receivers last year, the Patriots need to find a reliable backup for Rob Gronkowski.
The incredible year that Aaron Hernandez and Gronkowski shared in 2011 was unlike anything fantasy football players have ever seen, but the results from that season were never reproduced. Gronkowski finished that season with 1,327 receiving yards and 17 touchdown receptions, and Hernandez was a dominant force with 910 receiving yards and seven touchdowns. Watson doesn’t have the same skill-set of either of these players, but it doesn’t mean he couldn’t finish as a top-10 tight end behind a healthy Gronkowski.
He still has to find a full-time spot on the team, but keep the younger Watson on your radar if he follows his brothers’ footsteps as a Patriots tight end.
Jack Delaney is a fantasy football writer for www.Rantsports.com. You can follow him on Twitter @jackbmore13, “Like” him on Facebook, or add him to your network on Google.
