FOXBORO — Like so many Patriots this season, rookie wide receiver Aaron Dobson can’t avoid the hypotheticals.

The second-round draft pick developed into a flashy target for Tom Brady midway through the season, then a stress fracture in his left foot popped in Week 12 against Denver and essentially doomed the rest of his campaign.

Dobson was the Pats’ most productive wideout from Weeks 6-11 with 22 receptions for 325 yards and three touchdowns, and finished the season with 37 catches for 519 yards and four scores. That translated into the most receiving yards and touchdowns for a rookie receiver in the Brady era.

The Marshall product missed three games before returning in Week 16 but hurt it again in the finale against the Bills, which led to his inactive status in the playoff opener against the Colts. Through it all, Dobson only had four catches for 60 yards from Week 12 through the postseason.

“I guess I have wondered ‘what if,’ but stuff happens like that,” Dobson said. “You’re not going to be 100 percent through the whole season, so I tried to get through it the best way I could.”

Dobson displayed some electric jump-ball ability in training camp, and he really announced his prominence during joint practices with the Eagles when he outleaped a pair of defensive backs to catch a long heave from Brady.

However, those risks waned in the regular season when ball control was more important than the fun reward of spectacular catches. That’s a key part of the developmental phase for rookies to realize the challenge of creating separation from a veteran cornerback who has seen this act time and again.

Dobson’s vertical routes were mostly sound, as he displayed with an 81-yard touchdown catch against the Steelers in Week 9, and he complemented them with improving comeback routes, which he showcased with a 27-yarder against the Broncos in the playoffs. Dobson often found openings with post routes, but there were times when he had the yips if defenders were in his proximity.

There were enough strides for the Patriots to be optimistic about Dobson as a starter in 2014, particularly relative to their past decade of failure of rookie receivers.

The natural health improvement will aid his burst, and that works in concert with the mental game, which would theoretically turn Dobson into a more dynamic threat next season.

That doesn’t mean the Patriots should shy away from free agent receivers, including Eric Decker, Jeremy Maclin, Hakeem Nicks, Anquan Boldin, Golden Tate or Emmanuel Sanders. But the second-round investment into Dobson appeared to be well-spent, and the Pats should explore ways to give him more chances to stay on the field for his sophomore year.

“I think I did OK,” Dobson said. “I definitely want to strive to be better, come back and have a strong second year. I feel like I had an OK rookie year. I’ve just got to have a great offseason to work hard and come back next year. (I want to improve) everything, just having an all-around game, blocking, running routes, catching balls. I just feel like I can improve so much in every area. That’s my main focus in the offseason.”