The New England Patriots have several new playmakers on the opposite side of the football. However, returning players make the most sense for fantasy football purposes.
Historically speaking, New England is not a very fantasy-friendly team in terms of scheme and usage, due to their ability to utilize multiple personnel and vary their game plans. Nevertheless, there are a couple of strong candidates for fantasy football drafts.
These players do not have to be taken early and may be available in the later rounds. The Patriots are known for getting the most out of players people may not expect, and that could happen again this year.
Today, we take a look at the four best fantasy football options on the Patriots.
TE Hunter Henry
Tight end Hunter Henry is one of the best fantasy options for the New England Patriots. He is looking to have another strong year, as he enters his second season with the organization.
He recorded 50 catches for 603 yards and nine touchdowns last season. There was even a successful streak of games where he had a touchdown in four straight contests. Not only that, he recorded at least five targets in seven games. His volume increased as the season went on.
He could be a tight end piece in the later rounds for your team, as the 14th overall tight end in PPR rankings, per FantasyPros. His 7.7 projected fantasy points per game put him right in the middle of the pack at the position. He would be a risky play as a starter, but he could be a valuable later-round pick-up, especially given his connection with Mac Jones last year.
K Nick Folk
Kicker is one of the more overlooked aspects of fantasy football, as having a reliable kicker could make a huge difference depending on the week. The Patriots certainly have a reliable kicker in Nick Folk.
He went 26-of-31 on field goals last season, making all 53 extra points.
Per FantasyPros, he is the 12th overall kicker, which is a position that can be selected later in the draft. Although it may seem simplistic in fantasy football, it is a great value position. You can find a reliable kicker in the later rounds without having to sacrifice a prime draft spot. Folk is one of those players, and he could be an asset for your fantasy team.
RB Rhamondre Stevenson
Rhamondre Stevenson burst onto the scene last year and made the most of his playing time as a rookie. The former Oklahoma standout running back carried the ball 133 times for 606 yards and five touchdowns last season.
He played second-fiddle to Damien Harris to start off the year. However, by the midway point, he was seeing a bigger role in the offense. This allowed him to have a string of success, including two games of at least 100 yards and two touchdowns. This was when he really began to find his groove.
He could be in line for an even bigger role this season. One of the things he has been working on during camp is his pass-catching. That automatically makes him a more valuable running back for fantasy purposes. He could be a sneaky pick up in PPR leagues.
I can see him being a value pick in the middle rounds. Although New England likes to share the load at running back, he certainly will be a factor. If he can continue to work on catching the football, he will become that much more valuable. The one guarantee in New England’s offense is that they will always have a role for their running backs.
WR Jakobi Meyers
Jakobi Meyers is one of the biggest fantasy targets on the Patriots. Even in a remade wide receiver room, he still should be able to make an impact.
He caught 83 catches for 866 yards and two touchdowns last season. From a fantasy perspective, he was a bit frustrating due to his lack of touchdown catches. However, he was good for a high volume of targets.
In New England’s game against New Orleans last season, he had 14 targets. He had 12 targets the following week against Tampa Bay. There were only two games the entire season in which he received less than five targets. The volume was there for him to be a practical fantasy player.
New England has a lot of new faces in the wide receiver room. They upgraded the room in many aspects, but that doesn’t take away the fact that Meyers and Jones have a strong rapport. It’s still reasonable to expect him as a viable fantasy target this year. He is ranked the 48th overall at wide receiver in PPR rankings, per FantasyPros. He could be another valuable late-round pick for a team in need of wide receiver depth.
