Fantasy Football Player Notes
2020 Draft Rankings
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72.
Julian Edelman
WR - (vs . NYJ)
As of now, it appears Edelman will have Jarred Stidham throwing him the ball in 2020. Is that a good thing? We don't really know just yet, though his 9.2-yard average depth of target shouldn't be impacted by quarterback play too much. Unless you're expecting Mohamed Sanu or N'Keal Harry to hit 100-plus targets, Edelman should be safe to hit the century mark, even if the offense is less potent than in years past. But also don't forget to take his injury history into consideration, as the reward might not be worth the risk anymore without Tom Brady there.
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82.
Sony Michel
RB - (vs . NYJ)
After a somewhat disappointing rookie campaign where he failed to finish as a top-24 running back despite racking up 209 carries in the high-scoring Patriots offense, Michel had an even worse sophomore campaign, averaging just 3.7 yards per carry and scoring just seven touchdowns on 259 touches. The Patriots spent a first-round pick on him, so he'll be given every opportunity to succeed, but they won't allow him to be inefficient much longer with Damien Harris waiting in the wings. Michel simply hasn't been the player we watched at Georgia. It's hard to see losing Tom Brady actually help him become more efficient.
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113.
James White
RB - (vs . NYJ)
He's one of the trickiest evaluations in fantasy football this year, as losing Tom Brady is going to affect him in a big way. The question becomes: Just how much upside will he lose? White was never someone you relied on for RB1 or RB2 production, but he would give you spikes in production from your flex spot that could help you win a week. He's seen a massive 290 targets over the last three years, and it's extremely unlikely the Patriots have Jarrett Stidham drop back anywhere close to the number of times Brady did. Not just that, but Brady always targeted his running backs in the passing game. There are just too many questions to rely on him for anything for more than low-end RB3/high-end RB4 production.
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128.
Cam Newton
QB - (vs . NYJ)
There are many who'll be jumping to draft Newton as a QB1 like it's still 2017, but you shouldn't be one of them. Newton will be coming off shoulder surgery, which had countless teams passing on him. That's a concern, yes, but it's not the biggest concern. He's now 31 years old. Do you know how many quarterbacks have rushed for more than 500 yards after turning 31? Three. Now as how many of those quarterbacks had more than four rushing touchdowns... None. Newton was once a dominating force who required coordinators to adjust gameplans, but I just don't think he's that guy anymore.
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152.
N'Keal Harry
WR - (vs . NYJ)
Despite spending a first-round pick on Harry last year, the Patriots targeted Harry more than four times just once, and it came in Week 17. The Patriots still have Julian Edelman and Mohamed Sanu on the roster, and neither of them are going away. Now you take away Tom Brady and add in the uncertainty of Jarrett Stidham under center, and it's enough to make Harry essentially a non-factor in fantasy.
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168.
New England Patriots
DST - (vs . NYJ)
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198.
Damien Harris
RB - (vs . NYJ)
The 2019 usage, or lack thereof, for Harris was puzzling to say the least. When you draft a running back in the third round, you typically use him in some sort of role. Of the 22 running backs who've been drafted in the third round over the last seven years, Harris' four touches were the fewest. He's the clear-cut handcuff to Sony Michel who's been extremely inefficient. If that continues in 2020, we could see the Patriots activate Harris (who doesn't contribute on special teams) and use him as their early-down back.
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223.
Mohamed Sanu
WR - (vs . NYJ)
It's crazy to think the Patriots gave up a second-round pick for Sanu last year, especially when you know he'll turn 31 later this year. He's going to start for them, and it's possible his value went up with Cam Newton's signing, though it's important to remember Newton has thrown more than 24 touchdowns in his career just once. Still, Sanu tried playing through injuries with the Patriots last year and it affected his production. He may have some bye week streaming appeal if Newton can get his career back on track.
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245.
Rex Burkhead
RB - (vs . NYJ)
With Tom Brady out of town, we know the Patriots are going to be running the ball much more. The issue is that they've shown a significant amount of trust in Sony Michel, invested a third-round pick on Damien Harris, and James White isn't going anywhere. That's a lot of mouths to feed. Burkhead is someone you look to if there's injuries to others, but it's unlikely he's an asset with everyone healthy.
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295.
Jarrett Stidham
QB - (vs . NYJ)
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303.
Jakobi Meyers
WR - (vs . NYJ)
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342.
Justin Rohrwasser
K - (vs . NYJ)
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369.
Devin Asiasi
TE - (vs . NYJ)
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404.
Marqise Lee
WR - (vs . NYJ)
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420.
Dalton Keene
TE - (vs . NYJ)
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438.
Jeff Thomas
WR - (vs . NYJ)
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441.
Damiere Byrd
WR - (vs . NYJ)
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461.
Matt LaCosse
TE - (vs . NYJ)
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478.
Brandon Bolden
RB - (vs . NYJ)
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500.
Jakob Johnson
FB - (vs . NYJ)
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504.
Brian Hoyer
QB - (vs . NYJ)
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530.
J.J. Taylor
RB - (vs . NYJ)
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