Fantasy Football News

The Patriots are placing WR A.J. Brown on IR, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. That knocks Brown out for at least the next 4 games, making Week 6 his earliest return.

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.

Can we get Romeo Doubs a mulligan? The new Patriot had a brutal debut in Seattle on Wednesday night, finishing catch-less on 3 targets. His first look didn't come until the fourth quarter. It was an underthrown 50/50 ball deep downfield that was eventually tipped and picked off by CB Nehemiah Pritchett. A tough play for Doubs, but certainly one that he could have made. It got worse from there. On New England's next possession, Doubs got wide open down the right sideline but looked upfield before securing the ball, dropping what would have converted a 2nd and 14. QB Drake Maye was intercepted on the next play. Doubs was smothered by Pritchett on his third and final target of the night.

Patriots WR Romeo Doubs was quiet early in training camp, but he excelled yesterday catching all 5 targets in a seven-on-seven session. What may be more interesting is Doubs' role in the Josh McDaniels offense. According to Patriots.com’s Evan Lazar, Doubs’ primary role will be from the “inside” instead of the X outside WR he played on the Packers. That big slot role could open up easier targets for Doubs, giving him weekly fantasy upside if he's on the same page as QB Drake Maye.

The Patriots plan to increase their offensive pace this season, which will be their second under OC Josh McDaniels (for his latest stint, that is). Last year's offense ranked third-slowest in the league at 30.6 seconds per play. They ranked 24th in 2021 (29.6 seconds), McDaniels' previous most recent Pats season. Before that came a No. 20 ranking in 2020 after eight straight seasons of finishing inside the top 12:

• 2019: 27.9 (11th)
• 2018: 28.0 (seventh)
• 2017: 26.8 (third)
• 2016: 27.9 (12th)
• 2015: 27.2 (eighth)
• 2014: 26.6 (third)
• 2013: 25.8 (fifth)
• 2012: 24.8 (first)

New England's renovated WR corps will be interesting to watch throughout the summer, and the first days of camp have already supplied some interesting notes. A.J. Brown, for one thing, has reportedly gotten off to a slow start in his connection with QB Drake Maye. According to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald, Brown caught just three of 10 passes from his new QB through Tuesday's workout, limited to the short range. Kayshon Boutte, meanwhile, "has been a highlight machine" despite running fourth among Pats wideouts. Romeo Doubs and DeMario Douglas have joined Brown as the top three.

The Eagles are finally sending WR A.J. Brown to the Patriots for a 2028 first-round pick and a 2027 fifth-rounder, according to multiple reports. The deal is pending a Brown physical, of course, but has been expected for months now. ESPN reports that waiting until June 1 allowed the Eagles to split Brown’s $40 million cap hit between this year and next. (NFL Network’s Mike Garafolo calls it $43 million, with $27 million of that on the team’s 2027 cap.)

According to Mike Reiss of ESPN, Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte is currently not attending voluntary workouts with the Patriots, instead working out away from the facility. This could be an indication that trade rumors from SI’s Albert Breer about Boutte being available for a fifth- or sixth-round draft pick could be accurate. WR A.J. Brown is still expected to be traded from the Eagles to the Patriots after June 1st according to Adam Schefter of ESPN, which could push Boutte out with WRs Romeo Doubs, DeMario Douglas, Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III completing the current WR room.

The Eagles continue to discuss an A.J. Brown trade, and the Patriots remain highly interested in acquiring him. Brown has been at the center of trade rumors for most of the offseason, but his contract made a pre-June 1st move unlikely. Now, with both sides interested in a deal, Brown appears likely to head to New England as Drake Maye's long-term No. 1 WR.

WR Romeo Doubs has agreed to terms with the New England Patriots on a four-year, $80m deal. After releasing WR Stefon Diggs, the Patriots desperately needed to add to their WR group and will sign the former Packers' WR. He has the potential be lead the Patriots' WRs in snaps opposite of Kayshon Boutte on the outside. His contract indicates a committment to getting Doubs on the field to continue helping the development of QB Drake Maye.

Packers QB Jordan Love (concussion) won't play vs. the Ravens on Saturday night, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Love was limited in practice all week and should be cleared in time for Week 18. QB Malik Willis, who's also listed as questionable with a right shoulder injury, is expected to start against Baltimore, per Schefter. We've had it projected that way all week, so there are no changes to the Week 17 rankings. Expect an extremely run-heavy game from Green Bay.

Packers WR Romeo Doubs (wrist) was a full-go in Wednesday's practice. He hurt his wrist on a fail onside kick recovery in last week's loss to the Bears but is evidently good to go for Saturday night's game vs. the Ravens. Doubs will only be a viable fantasy play in that one if QB Jordan Love clears concussion protocol.

Packers WR Romeo Doubs suffered a wrist injury on his failed attempt to recover an onside kick in the fourth quarter of Saturday night's game vs. the Bears. The team is still evaluating the injury, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. We'll keep you updated on Doubs' status for next Saturday's game vs. the Ravens. His absence would likely mean more snaps for WRs Dontayvion Wicks and Matthew Golden, but neither guy would be a reliable fantasy play.

The Green Bay Packers had 7 WRs active for Week 16. All 7 played, but Jayden Reed led the way in snaps. However, QB Jordan Love exited the game early due to a concussion, which led to a change in Green Bay's offensive approach. Additionally, RB Josh Jacobs aggravated a knee injury, which further complicates the Packers' WR offenseive approach heading into what is now a must-win Week 17

Packers WR Christian Watson went 4-89-2 on 4 targets in the win against the Bears. Watson tied for the team lead in targets along with TE Luke Musgrave and Jayden Reed in his first game since Week 2. Watson led the WRs with 44 snaps with the most routes run at 21. Watson has finished as a top-12 PPR WR in three of the last four weeks.

Packers WR Jayden Reed (foot, collarbone) has been activated from IR and will play vs. the Bears on Sunday, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Reed has been out since Week 2 and underwent surgeries for both a broken collarbone and Jones Fracture in his foot. We don't expect Reed to play a full slate of snaps tomorrow and would not use him in Week 14 fantasy lineups. Reed is most likely to take snaps from WR Dontayvion Wicks. Both guys have run over 50% of their routes from the slot this season. Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs are the only Packers WRs that can be trusted in starting lineups this week.

Packers WR Dontayvion Wicks was the star of Thursday's win over the Lions, hauling in six of seven targets for 94 yards and two TDs. He scored the game's first TD early in the second quarter on an impressive contested grab in the end zone from 22 yards out. Wicks' second TD came on a quick out from the one-yard line in the third quarter. He iced the game with a 16-yard reception to convert a fourth-and-three with under two minutes to go.