Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne will open the regular season on the physically unable to perform list, according to multiple reports. That means Bourne will miss at least the first four games while continuing to work back from last October's ACL tear.
Patriots rookie WR Ja'Lynn Polk has impressed over his first week of training camp. NESN's Sean T. McGuire praised Polk's work across multiple drills and situations Tuesday, adding that the rookie "continues to stack [good] days."
ESPN's Mike Reiss posited this week who the early favorites might be to lead the Patriots at WR. "Former Viking K.J. Osborn ... has positioned himself as an early leader among Patriots receivers," Reiss wrote. "Second-year slot receiver DeMario Douglas appears as quick as ever. Add in [rookie Ja'Lynn] Polk, and that could be the team's top three targets if everyone is healthy." That assessment came amid a longer intro that focused on Polk's work. The second-round pick has reportedly impressed with his work in practice. He -- and the others -- face a seemingly wide-open fight for jobs in a WR corps that stunk last year and didn't spend much on adding to it this offseason.
Chad Graff of The Athletic says Patriots WR Demario Douglas had an impressive spring. "Douglas was by far the Patriots’ best and most explosive playmaker in practice this spring," Graff says. "Every time he got the ball in his hands, good things seemed to happen for the offense."
The Patriots and WR Kendrick Bourne have agreed to a new three-year deal ahead of free agency. It's a $19.5 million contract with a maximum value of $33 million, according to The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan. Bourne is working his way back from a torn right ACL suffered this past October but should be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign. He averaged a career-best 50.8 receiving yards per game before going down last year, finishing 35th among WRs in PPR points per game. That feels like Bourne's ultimate fantasy upside this year. We'll see what else the Patriots do at WR this offseason, but Bourne is just a late-round option in early fantasy drafts.
The Patriots are set to hire Jerod Mayo as their new HC, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Mayo has been a lifelong Patriot. He was drafted by the team in 2008, played all eight seasons of his career in New England, and then spent the last five years as their inside LBs coach. The team had reportedly been planning for Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick for a while. We'll see what changes Mayo makes to the rest of the coaching staff, particularly whether he keeps OC Bill O'Brien.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne suffered a torn right ACL in Sunday's loss to the Dolphins, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports. That obviously ends the veteran WR's season. Bourne's also in the final year of his contract. The seventh-year vet has averaged just 2.7 receptions per game for his career, including this season's high of 4.6. Throw in the challenge of the knee recovery, and it's tough to envision a strong landing in free agency or much fantasy relevance going forward. Rookie WR Demario Douglas should find more opportunities available -- especially with WR DeVante Parker also sustaining a concussion in Sunday's game -- but temper your expectations. This has been a low-floor and low-ceiling passing offense for most of the season.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne is believed to be dealing with an MCL injury, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Bourne is scheduled for a Monday MRI to get a better look at the damage. We should learn more tomorrow.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne has been ruled out of Week 8 with a knee injury. Bourne tallied 3 catches for 36 yards and 1 score prior to the injury.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne hauled 6 of 7 targets for a team-leading 63 receiving yards with a TD in Sunday’s upset win vs. the Bills. Rookie wideout Demario Douglas also contributed solid numbers, roping in 4 of his 6 targets for 54 receiving yards in the contest. Despite seeing the Patriots’ offense turn their fortunes around in Week 7, Bourne is the only pass-catcher worthy of lineup consideration next week vs. the Dolphins. This is still an untrustworthy aerial attack for fantasy purposes.
Patriots WR JuJu Smith-Schuster is not expected to play vs. the Bills today, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Smith-Schuster suffered his fifth documented concussion back in Week 5 and still hasn't been cleared. WR Demario Douglas, who was also concussed in Week 5, is expected to play today, according to Rapoport. WR Kendrick Bourne is the only viable fantasy play in New England's WR corps.
Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson logged 10 carries for 46 yards and 1 TD in Week 6 vs. the Raiders. He also added 5 catches on 6 targets for 24 yards as a pass-catcher in the contest. Stevenson and WR Kendrick Bourne (10 catches, 89 receiving yards) were the only bright spots from the Pats’ offense to speak of on Sunday. This is a team that’s lost three games in a row and feels directionless given the poor play of QB Mac Jones. We’re not particularly enthusiastic about starting anyone other than Stevenson next week vs. the Bears.
Patriots WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster (concussion) and Demario Douglas (concussion) are out for Sunday’s game vs. the Raiders. WR Tyquan Thornton (shoulder) is listed as questionable. We’ll see if Thornton is ready to make his 2023 debut, but DeVante Parker and Kendrick Bourne will serve as New England’s top two WRs this weekend.
Patriots RBs Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott each received 8 carries in Week 5’s loss vs. the Saints for a combined 45 rushing yards. The New England pass-catchers didn’t perform much better in the 34-0 blowout either. WR Kendrick Bourne led the team in receiving with 43 yards on 2 catches. No other Pats player exceeded 25 receiving yards. This game is the second straight beating that this team has taken without much fantasy-relevant production. It’ll be curious to see if HC Bill Belichick makes a change at QB in Week 6 vs. the Raiders.
DeVante Parker played 16 more snaps and ran 10 more pass routes than any other Patriots WR in Sunday's loss to the Cowboys. It marked the third straight week Parker has led the group in routes. He has run a route on 91% of New England's dropbacks in that span, after missing Week 1. TE Hunter Henry checks in next at 82.9%. WR Kendrick Bourne trails at 60.4%, with WR JuJu Smith-Schuster at 54.1%. That has amounted to only 7 total targets and 4 receptions over the past two weeks. But it leaves room for upside in upcoming matchups. Week 5 brings the Saints, who have played well on defense but been a positive scoring matchup for WRs. Our adjusted fantasy points allowed say the Raiders, Bills, and Dolphins the following three weeks have been negative. We'll see as those matchups draw closer.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry led the team with 4 receptions and 51 receiving yards in Sunday's beatdown at the hands of the Cowboys. He was the only New England player to catch more than two passes in the game. WR JuJu Smith-Schuster matched Henry's 5 targets for the team lead. WR DeVante Parker followed with 4. Five others tallied 3 targets apiece. New England gets another tough matchup with New Orleans in Week 5 but a friendlier spot at Vegas the following week.
Patriots WR Kendrick Bourne recorded 4 catches on 5 targets for 46 yards in Week 3’s win vs. the Jets. Both WR DeVante Parker and TE Hunter Henry had some involvement but ultimately flopped with just 2 catches apiece. Helping no one in fantasy, TE Pharaoh Brown led the team in receiving with 71 yards on 2 catches. One of those catches from Brown was the only offensive TD scored by New England. This one was just one of those unlucky games in crummy weather where the Pats didn’t need to throw a ton to pull out the W. Fantasy managers should hope for better results from these receivers next week vs. the Cowboys.
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