The New England Patriots were the shining star in the NFL. For well over a decade now, they have represented the epitome of NFL class. They were a beacon for aging stars and collegiate talent alike. The Patriots are annually recognized as the best franchise in the NFL, and with 3 Super Bowl victories in the last 15 years, there’s no denying its validity.

Something has changed in Massachusetts in 2013, and it has this writer worried. By now, the entire world has witnessed the Aaron Hernandez debacle through microscopic eyes.

It’s a tragic story for the Lloyd family, and one that will hopefully provide a semblance of justice for their family.

There was already wood burning, as the Hernandez story only added gas to the media fire that was aflame with the addition of God’s superstar, QB (?) Tim Tebow.

All told, this is fantasy talk boys and girls, and there is some serious commotion shaking out at Foxborough this offseason.

Quarterback Tom Brady is accustomed to adjustments, but never throughout his storied career has he faced this much adversity. Gone is the safety net of Wes Welker, timely picking an excellent time to head off to Denver. Gone is his 3rd down back Danny Woodhead. Gone is his 2nd most targeted wideout in 2012 in Brandon Lloyd. Gone is the aformentioned jailbird Hernandez. The only true household name left that is a major player is TE Rob Gronkowski – and he’s recovering from back surgery.

The fantasy football questions are piling up, as the Patriots have always been a guiding force in the fantasy world. What will be the fantasy affect on this grand scale fantasy fallout? Take a seat and get out your notepads, ’cause we’re about to find out who will benefit, who will slide, and what we can come to expect from the 2013 Patriots squad. Let’s analyze the players…

Tom Brady:

Being unpopular in fantasy circles is a good thing, and with this statement, i’ll be the most unpopular kid in school: Tom Brady will still produce as a top 5 quarterback in 2013. Why do we continue to doubt Brady? To quote mob legend Frank Costello, “I don’t want to be a product of my environment, I want my environment to be a product of me.” This is Brady in a nutshell. Go ahead and doubt him. There isn’t a more savvy quarterback in the game, and with Belichick’s guidance, Tom Terrific will again turn unknowns into stars. And if you think I’m wrong, try to remember that Welker was withering away in a terrible system in Miami for 3 years before he met the Hall of Fame quarterback.

Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen:

This is where things start to get interesting. Stevan Ridley is the Patriots featured back, boasting the best rushing skill set of all their tailbacks. He should see a slight bump in production, as the running game will be forced to produce on a Corey Dillon like level. Ridley is a borderline top 15 back, but if he can prove to be effective when needed, he could ascend to the top 10. It’s not impossible to gun for 1200 yards and 10 touchdowns.

On the other hand, Shane Vereen should receive a drastic boost to his 2013 fantasy prospects. Vereen will be this years Danny Woodhead, if not better, racking up yards in the receiving game. The Patriots will employ different schemes this season, and I can see them having both of these talented backs on the gridiron together quite often. He will get a nice nudge in my next rb rankings, as Vereen will be an excellent flex play this season. If your league is PPR heavy, let him slide to you in your 2013 fantasy draft.

Rob Gronkowski and Jake Ballard:

If you do this for a living like we do, both these names already stand out. Even before the Hernandez drama, Ballard was showing up on fantasy radars due to the iffy back that Gronk is constantly battling. Ballard is currently recovering from a minor injury, but will be ready to roar in 2013. Take this guy as a solid #2 TE with the very real possibility that he could put up Hernandez like numbers. Ballard has a large frame (6’6), using it productively in the run blocking game. He still maintains incredibly soft hands as a larger TE, flashing major ability in the NY Giants Super Bowl win, one that the Pats saw first hand. He’s only 25, and now he has Tom Brady throwing him the ball. Don’t wait on Ballard.

Rob Gronkowski is the second most important player on this franchise, outranking everyone but Brady – and this is why. According to the NFL’s research department, Brady had a 23-3 touchdown-to-interception ratio and a 106.6 passer rating with Gronk on the field. He slid to 11-5 touchdown-to-interception ratio and an 87.1 passer rating with him gone. It’s imperative that the Patriots get him healthy and performing to Gronk like levels. If Gronk gets a clean bill of health before the season kickoffs, he should have insane production, potentially dethroning Jimmy Graham as my #1 TE.

The Wide Receiver Position:

Brandon Lloyd will be back. The Chiefs have expressed interest, but I don’t see it happening now. Lloyd’s familiar with the system, and if he does return, he’ll have a better shot at success than he did in the past with New England. Look for the Patriots to snag him within the week.

How do you replace the loss of Wes Welker? Danny Amendola my friends. Their stories are just too similar to ignore. Both Amendola and Welker were better than their careers were advancing. Both were stuck with young quarterbacks. Both had value in the return game and well, both are tiny white dudes. Welker’s story is history, but now it’s Amendola’s time to write the script. The Pats received tons of flack for letting Welker walk, then replaced him with a younger version of himself. If Amendola stays healthy, he will breach 100 catches and 1,000 yards for the first time in his short career.

Keeping on the theme of shifty wideouts, we enter Julian Edelman. Edelman has always flashed sparks of talent, and in 2013 he will be allowed to do his best impression of Welker. I’ve always liked Edelman, but it was hard to like him on a fantasy level, as he was stashed deep in the Pats depth chart. Edelman will fill in the vacant slot position that Hernandez thrived in, and will catch 50 balls in the 2013 season. He might not produce a gaudy stat line, but there is definite plug and play value tied to him.

The Patriots knew they were letting Welker walk, and with their 59th overall pick in the 2013 draft, they selected Aaron Dobson of Marshall. Marshall you say? We all know what happened last time Brady teamed up with a Marshall wideout (Randy Moss). Dobson is known for freakish athletic ability, making all sorts of circus catches in his stint at Marshall. He should be employed immediately, and if he can pick up the playbook, he is 110% watch list material. Take a gamble on Dobson with one of your last 2 picks.

Fantasy Outlook:

The fantasy world is always evolving. Come preseason, all this information could mean squat. One definite constant is Tom Brady. Brady will not decline in 2013, and if anything, he will increase his excellency and carry this Patriots team to another playoff run. Welker is gone, but replaced by a very capable Amendola. Lloyd is gone, but more than likely will return. Hernandez is gone, Ballard is a better blocker and is still capable in the pass game. Woodhead is in San Diego, but was let go purely on the expected output of Shane Vereen.

Fantasy is hyper sensitive, and in these down days of the offseason, our minds are constantly at work, trying to predict the future. I’ll put my a** on the line right now and tell the world to “take a chill pill.” The Patriots will be fine in 2013, and if I know one thing, they’re hoping you write them off.