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Friday update: Smith is listed as doubtful for Week 5. Hunter henry should be the main tight end against the Lions.
Thursday update: Jonnu Smith was spotted at practice on Thursday, per Andrew Callahan. We’ll need to see the injury report later in the day to see if he was able to get in a limited practice.
New England Patriots tight end Jonnu Smith has been diagnosed with a low-ankle sprain and is classified as week-to-week.
#Patriots TE Jonnu Smith, who has had tests done on his injured ankle over the last few days, was diagnosed with a low-ankle sprain, source said, and he is described as week-to-week. That indicates he may miss some time.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 5, 2022
Smith suffered the injury partway through the second quarter of the Patriots’ Week 4 loss on Sunday against the Green Bay Packers. His timeline to return is unclear. The Patriots will release their first practice participation report of Week 5 on Wednesday afternoon.
Fantasy football implications
The Patriots face the Detroit Lions on Sunday, and Hunter Henry will start at tight end for New England. Henry is listed ahead of Smith on the depth chart and has played more snaps than Smith the past two weeks.
Smith has added 58 yards over seven receptions this season, compared to Henry’s 41 yards over five receptions. The Patriots are working with a depleted quarterback room, and third-stringer Bailey Zappe may have to start against the Lions this weekend as the first and second options are still recovering from injuries.