The New England Patriots rolled out to a 20-0 lead over the Houston Texans in the third quarter on Thursday night, but it hasn’t been a great night for fantasy football owners who are relying on many the Patriots’ top offensive players.
Running back LeGarrette Blount is one of the exceptions, having rushed for 55 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries. Jacoby Brissett and Julian Edelman, on the other hand, haven’t produced much in the way of fantasy points.
Below is the outlook for all three players based on Thursday’s game.
Jacoby Brissett
Credit Patriots head coach Bill Belichick for devising an offense that catered to Brissett. New England isn’t exactly posting gaudy stats, though, which further clouds whatever small fantasy value the rookie QB has.
A healthy Rob Gronkowski would undoubtedly be a boost for Brissett. According to ESPN.com’s Mike Reiss, the All-Pro tight end played nine of the team’s first 25 snaps.
Still, Brissett is largely a fantasy non-factor in standard leagues, Gronk or no Gronk. Tom Brady has only one game remaining on his Deflategate suspension after Thursday, which diminishes Brissett’s fantasy ceiling in 2016.
In keeper leagues, the 23-year-old is a more intriguing case, since Brady can’t be the QB forever. Either Brissett or Jimmy Garoppolo will ascend to the starting QB job at some point down the road.
Julian Edelman
Edelman is on his way to a third somewhat underwhelming week, but he remains a must-own in standard leagues, especially those that give points for every reception.
Anybody who drafted Edelman didn’t expect him to post WR1 numbers every week. With that said, he would’ve ideally done more in Gronkowski’s absence.
Depending on the state or your wideouts, Edelman might be a candidate to be benched in Week 4 before things are back to normal. While Gronk’s return could eat into Edelman’s targets, that impact will be offset by having Brady back in Week 5 against the Cleveland Browns.
LeGarrette Blount
Blount’s value could take a minor hit with Brady at quarterback. As long as he remains the Patriots’ primary ball-carrier, though, he’ll continue to be a productive starter in standard leagues.
Blount had 22 and 29 carries, respectively, in New England’s first two games. While it’s unrealistic to expect that to continue, his ability to punch the ball in at the goal line will ensure he maintains steady production throughout the year.
You’re in major trouble if Blount is the best running back on your roster, and even RB2 may be a bit too optimistic over the long term. Starting Blount as a flex would offer a little more protection in the event his rushing numbers trend downward upon Brady’s return.
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