Patriots WR A.J. Brown is expected to miss "at least" 4 weeks with his high-ankle sprain, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
2026 Fantasy Football Impact: Patience Required
Rapoport notes that high-ankle sprains are typically 4- to 6-week injuries, so there's no surprise with Brown's timeline. The early Week 1 kickoff might give Brown a chance to miss only 3 games, but fantasy owners should be prepared for a longer absence than that.
High-ankle sprains can also sap production beyond that 4- to 6-week window, so expect Brown to sit lower than usual in our rankings for at least his first game back.
He's still worth hanging on to in all fantasy leagues as a potential WR1 over the second half of the season.
Other Winners & Losers: Pats WR Room Looks Rough
Brown's absence leaves the Patriots even shakier at WR than they were last year. Stefon Diggs departed in free agency, and the team probably wishes it hadn't traded Kayshon Boutte to Houston in late August.
Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, and Demario Douglas operated as New England's top 3 WRs after Brown exited early in the third quarter on Wednesday. Doubs has the best resume of the trio and landed a 4-year, $68 million deal from the Patriots in free agency, making him the best bet for production while Brown is out. But his ugly debut makes him impossible to trust in Week 2 fantasy lineups.
WR Kyle Williams is also a candidate for more playing time after an impressive preseason, but he played just 12 snaps in the opener.
Drake Maye's rushing should keep his QB1 value afloat, but this WR corps will make it tough for him to deliver true difference-making production.
