Almost regardless of what we learn about Rob Gronkowski in the next six weeks, he will own the No. 2 tight end spot on my cheat sheet.

Yes, this differs from the tight end rankings I posted a few weeks ago, but a lot has happened since then. That said, this has nothing to do with the incarceration of Aaron Hernandez. Rather, it’s a tactical change of heart.

Sure, if Gronkowski suffers myriad setbacks in the next two months and is ruled out for the season, I’ll be singing a different tune. But for now, let’s discuss the next-worst-case scenario: Gronkowski struggling to recover from his latest malady and landing on the PUP to start the season. At this juncture, let me refer to a paragraph from my tight end rankings write-up:

“In my other positional write-ups I haven’t done much draft strategy discussion, but in the case of tight ends this year I think it’s worth it. I’m not overpaying for a top five tight end this season, because by the time my draft is over, if I’ve landed two of my top 18 in any scoring system—even numbers 17 and 18—I’ve cast myself a reasonable net for success. Sure, the upside of a top five tight end may not be there, but I can make a reasonable argument for as many as 20 tight ends winding up in the top 10 in positional scoring, and if you’ve appropriately built your roster elsewhere, all you need is a top 10 tight end to be successful.”

I don’t think you’ll hear an argument from anyone with a reasonable amount of fantasy savvy that Gronkowski, when healthy, isn’t a top two tight end. One could make a very good case that he’s even better than Jimmy Graham. But that’s not what I’m here to argue. Instead, consider what I noted above, that several tight ends have the chance to put up starter-worthy digits. So rather than ding Gronkowski’s status based on his unknown health, you instead are left with opportunity to invest in his upside while covering your own backside.

If Gronkowski comes back healthy after six weeks, or eight weeks, or even 10 weeks, you’re left with top-of-the-line fantasy production at the end of your regular season and into the playoffs. In the meantime, you simply have to be aggressive in acquiring your backup. Are you as high on Jordan Cameron or Martellus Bennett as I am? Then go ahead and jump on them at their average draft position, rather than waiting that extra round in hopes of adding a little extra value. Think Brandon Myers can be even more productive with the Giants? Then go ahead and make him your backup. New York, Chicago and Cleveland all have reasonable easy schedules in terms of the pass defenses they face. And hey, if Gronk comes back early and you’ve struck gold in your backup, you’ve got an excellent trade chip.

If you’re not usually into the whole risk/reward thing, then cover yourself by grabbing two additional tight ends. If you have Gronk, plus two others in the top 20, you’ve got an excellent shot at having starter-level production at the position throughout the season. You can jettison any dead weight later, or cash in on trades if you’ve managed to snipe three starter-worthy tight ends.

For me, it all comes down to this: you want the most potent lineup possible when you get to your fantasy playoffs. This is a guy who has 38 touchdowns in 43 professional games and who, in 11 games last season, had 11 tallies. Few if any tight ends stack up to the production of a healthy Gronkowski, and I’m more than willing to wait for it.