X
Lost password?

Don't have an account?
Gain Access Now

X

Receive free daily analysis

NFL
NBA
NHL
NASCAR
CFB
MLB
MMA
PGA
ESPORTS
BETTING

Already have an account? Log In

X

Forgot Password


POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

2016 Fantasy Football Team Outlook - New England Patriots

This article continues off our team outlook series where we will breakdown each NFL team from a fantasy football perspective. We will cover the major changes on each team in the offseason and project what the team will do in the upcoming season.

Today we look at the New England Patriots.

Editor's Note: Purchase a full season NFL Premium Pass (including Draft Kit + DFS Premium), and also get MLB Premium + DFS for free through October. Premium DFS lineup picks, expert lineups, tools and more - seven days a week. You can see screenshots of our NFL Premium and MLB Premium and DFS tools. What are you waiting for?

 

Offseason Moves

Offseason Acquisitions: TE Martellus Bennett, WR Chris Hogan, RB Donald Brown.

Offseason Departures: TE Scott Chandler, WR Brandon LaFell.

 

Quarterback

Amidst some injuries, a Matt Cassel sighting, and Deflategate, the quarterback section on the New England Patriots' depth chart has remained the same for 14 full seasons. Tom Brady has racked up nearly 450 touchdowns and nearly 60,000 passing yards, and has brought four Super Bowl rings to a team that has undoubtedly dominated the AFC East since the rivaled New York Jets and Mo Lewis injured at-the-time starter Drew Bledsoe. In came Brady, who has seemingly never left his spot under center. But the 2016 season will start just a bit differently.

Brady will miss the first four games of the season due to suspension. However, his fantasy value will not suffer tremendously and he should be stashed away on benches. Some have tagged Brady as a quarterback on the decline of his Hall of Fame career, that he isn't much of a fantasy quarterback. But Brady still managed to finish in the top-10 of scoring during ten weeks of the regular season with a depleted and injury-plagued offense and supporting cast in 2015. Despite his age and the Patriots tendency to keep the passing attack short and conservative of late, he tallied 36 touchdowns. The mastermind also protected the ball and coughed up only seven interceptions. His productive, fantasy-aiding stats will obviously decrease because of the suspension, but there is no reason to fade Brady. There's just more reason to scoop him up later in drafts now.

 

Running Backs

It always seems that there is a revolving door of offensive weapons in New England, specifically at the running back position. Last year we saw a rotation of LeGarrette Blount, Brandon Bolden, James White, and Dion Lewis. This year, Lewis will be sidelined for about 8-10 more weeks with a knee injury. Bolden is relatively nonexistent for fantasy. Which leaves Blount and White as the main relevant backs for the Patriots. Blount will now have some competition as New England's power back with the young Tyler Gaffney, who in 2013 with Stanford, rushed for 1,709 yards and scored 21 touchdowns.

According to ESPN.com, it appears that Blount is still inching towards the starting role. There is still some reason to be cautious with Blount considering he is coming off a hip injury that kept him out of some action in 2015. However, Blount should still get most first down and goal line carries. He loses value in PPR leagues because of how little he's thrown to.

James White, on the other hand, should see a bulk of targets out of the backfield with Lewis sidelined. In 2015, White accumulated 410 receiving yards, 40 receptions, four touchdowns, and was targeted 54 times; numbers he should easily replicate or exceed. There is certainly no hope in White replacing and filling in for Lewis' ability to make people miss, and therein lies his downside. It's often difficult to bank on a running back who doesn't run. White tallied only 56 yards on 22 attempts; a measly 2.5 yards per carry. This spells predictability for New England's offense.

Blount's in the game, run. White is in the game, pass. White makes for a better, late option in PPR league than in standard leagues. Donald Brown has also thrown himself into the mix, but his role is as uncertain as Brandon Bolden's. It is still too early to tell who will emerge. Too much variety is never good for fantasy.

 

Wide Receivers 

Injuries have plagued this part of New England's depth chart in the past. The Pats certainly had another scare when Julian Edelman tweaked his foot during practice in early August. He was recently held out of a preseason matchup against the Chicago Bears, but the Pats were simply being cautious with one of their top weapons. Cautious or not, Edelman has had a knack for getting hurt and has played 16 games in a season only once in his career. Last season he played in only nine games but found the end zone seven times. Despite his track record, it would be silly to avoid Edelman in any draft. He shouldn't miss any time to start the regular season.

Danny Amendola continues his stay on the PUP list and has no timetable for a return, according to CBSsports.com. In 14 games last season, Amendola was relatively quiet, posting only two 100 receiving yard performances and three touchdowns overall.

It would be most wise to keep an eye on Chris Hogan. Hogan, bitten by the injury bug early in camp, appears to be healthy and potentially on track for an every-down role. He can start on the outside or give Amendola a run for his money as New England's slot receiver; a role that the Pats often favor and use to exploit opposing defenses. Hogan has not had much experience in the league, but has 77 receptions in the past two seasons combined. Although, his weakness lies with his two most important weapons; his hands. He dropped 8.5% of targets last season; the worst out of the 85 receivers who were targeted at least 50 times, according to ESPN.com.

Malcolm Mitchell could also emerge in New England, but is battling a dislocated shoulder and could miss the start of the regular season. Mitchell, a potential fantasy sleeper, will need to return healthy and find his way through the congested offensive attack of the Patriots. Mitchell was off to a solid start in New England's first preseason tilt, accumulating 55 yards on four catches, before he injured his elbow in the second quarter. According to ESPNBoston.com, Mitchell has a solid shot at serving as the team's 'X' receiver. It will be difficult to trust him upon draft day, but keep an eye on his status come Week 1.

 

Tight Ends

This one is a no-brainer. Rob Gronkowkski. He is the league's top tight end and has finished first or second in tight end scoring five years in a row. Yes, he's had his own injury troubles, but there is zero reason to avoid Gronk. The acquisition of Martellus Bennett can only help him, as a safe and solid option on downs of rest. Bennett's fantasy value, on the other hand, has decreased. His role on the team will not jack any looks away from Gronk, and is no more than a boom-or-bust TE2. The good news for Bennett is that the Patriots often line up in a two tight end set. Expect Brady, and Jimmy Garoppolo, to look his way several times a game.

 

Kicker

Stephen Gostkowski. The best in the league. He has finished as the top fantasy-scoring kicker three years in a row, and will get a ton of chances to make it four straight with New England's impressive offense.

 




POPULAR FANTASY TOOLS

Expert Advice
Articles & Tools
Import Your Leagues
Weekly Rankings
Compare Any Players
Stats & Leaders
Starts and Sit
Daily Fantasy
Who To Pickup
24x7 News and Alerts

REAL-TIME FANTASY NEWS

Christian Watson15 mins ago

Questionable To Return On Monday Night With Knee Injury
Anthony Davis19 mins ago

Will Play Against Pistons
LeBron James27 mins ago

Active Against Pistons
Dario Saric51 mins ago

Available On Monday
Draymond Green59 mins ago

Ready To Go Monday
Isaac Guerendo1 hour ago

Expected To Practice On Thursday
Ben Sheppard1 hour ago

Upgraded To Available
Gary Payton II2 hours ago

Misses First Game Of The Season
Kyler Murray2 hours ago

Cardinals Won't Rest Kyler Murray In Final Two Games
Moses Moody2 hours ago

Available For Monday's Game
Jamal Murray2 hours ago

Out On Monday
Nelson Agholor2 hours ago

Zay Flowers, Nelson Agholor Listed As DNPs On Monday
Dalano Banton3 hours ago

Returns From Two-Game Absence
San Francisco 49ers3 hours ago

Trent Williams Won't Return For Final Two Games
Robert Williams III3 hours ago

Sits Out Monday's Game
Ivica Zubac3 hours ago

Active Versus Grizzlies
Kenneth Walker III3 hours ago

Listed As DNP On Monday
Marcus Smart3 hours ago

Unavailable Monday
Ja Morant3 hours ago

Back In Grizzlies Lineup
Desmond Bane3 hours ago

Good To Go Monday
RJ Barrett3 hours ago

Returns To Action Monday
Alexandre Sarr3 hours ago

Ruled Out On Monday
Bilal Coulibaly4 hours ago

Won't Play Monday
Terry Rozier4 hours ago

Ruled Out For Monday
Luka Doncic4 hours ago

Returning On Monday
Bogdan Bogdanovic4 hours ago

Will Not Play On Monday
Dillon Brooks4 hours ago

A Late Scratch On Monday Versus Hornets
Jake Neighbours5 hours ago

Good To Go Versus Red Wings
Filip Gustavsson5 hours ago

Returns To Work Monday
Sean Couturier5 hours ago

Back For Battle Of Pennsylvania
Jake Walman5 hours ago

Unavailable Monday
Zach Werenski5 hours ago

Questionable For Monday's Action
Ivan Barbashev5 hours ago

Nicolas Roy Remain Out Monday
Leo Carlsson5 hours ago

Not Expected To Play On Monday
Diontae Johnson6 hours ago

Texans Claim Diontae Johnson Off Waivers From Ravens
Zach Charbonnet6 hours ago

Should Be Full-Go For Thursday
David Njoku6 hours ago

Undergoing MRI On His Knee
George Pickens7 hours ago

Expected To Play On Christmas Day
Jalen Hurts7 hours ago

In Concussion Protocol
J.K. Dobbins7 hours ago

Chargers Opening J.K. Dobbins' Practice Window
Patrick Mahomes7 hours ago

Thinks His Ankle Will Be Better Off In Week 17
Andrew McCutchen8 hours ago

Re-Signs With Pirates
Walker Buehler9 hours ago

Red Sox Agree On One-Year Deal
Tank Dell9 hours ago

Tears ACL, Out For Remainder Of Season
Garrett Wilson10 hours ago

Wants To Be More Involved
Tyrone Tracy Jr.10 hours ago

Aggravates Ankle Injury In Week 16
Josh Allen11 hours ago

Says His Arm Is Fine
De'Von Achane12 hours ago

Dominant In Week 16 Victory
Sean Manaea14 hours ago

Returns To Mets On Three-Year Deal
Joc Pederson15 hours ago

Agrees To Contract With Texas
Aliaksei Protas15 hours ago

Scores Twice On Sunday
Clayton Keller15 hours ago

Tallies Four Points On Sunday
Linus Ullmark15 hours ago

Leaves Sunday's Game With Upper-Body Injury
Zach Hyman15 hours ago

Extends Goal Streak To Six Games
Mikko Rantanen15 hours ago

Tallies Two Helpers, Extends Point Streak To Nine Games
Kaapo Kakko15 hours ago

Scores First Goal With Seattle
Drake Maye20 hours ago

Shows Flashes In Two-Touchdown Effort
CeeDee Lamb21 hours ago

Eclipses Triple-Digit Yardage Sunday
Jalen McMillan22 hours ago

Extends Touchdown Streak Against Cowboys
Nathaniel Lowe1 day ago

Traded To Washington
Linus Ullmark1 day ago

Red-Hot Ahead Of Meeting With Oilers
Pyotr Kochetkov1 day ago

Achieves Rare Feat In Sunday's Win
Sebastian Aho1 day ago

Scores Third Goal In Four Games
Michael Amadio1 day ago

In Concussion Protocol
Mackenzie Blackwood1 day ago

Takes On Kraken Sunday
Matt Rempe1 day ago

Slapped With Eight-Game Suspension
Jesús Luzardo2 days ago

Phillies Acquire Jesus Luzardo From Miami
Mark Stone2 days ago

Tallies Three Points In Saturday's Victory
Patrik Laine2 days ago

Extends Goal Streak To Three Games
Alex Bregman2 days ago

Mets Showing Interest In Alex Bregman
Carlos Santana2 days ago

Inks One-Year Contract With Cleveland
Josh Naylor2 days ago

Traded To Arizona
Paul Goldschmidt2 days ago

Agrees With Yankees On One-Year Deal
Chicago Cubs3 days ago

Roki Sasaki Meets With Cubs
Christian Walker3 days ago

Agrees To Three-Year Deal With Astros
Vladimir Guerrero Jr.4 days ago

Extension Remains In Play For Toronto
New York Mets4 days ago

Roki Sasaki Meets With Mets On Thursday
Max Kepler4 days ago

Phillies Sign Max Kepler To One-Year Deal
Marcus Semien4 days ago

Rangers Could Look To Rest Marcus Semien More
Jesús Luzardo4 days ago

Cubs Trade Talks For Jesus Luzardo Are "Dead"
Josh Naylor4 days ago

Mentioned In Trade Talks With Mariners
Nolan Arenado5 days ago

Blocks Trade To Astros
Devin Williams5 days ago

Yankees Name Devin Williams As The Closer

RANKINGS

QB
RB
WR
TE
K
DEF
RANKINGS
C
1B
2B
3B
SS
OF
SP
RP

MORE RECENT ARTICLES

 
Michael Florio's Football Show - Podcast RotoBaller Network

Florio's Football Show: Jalen McMillan, Adam Thielen, Bryce Young, Michael Carter and More!

Michael Florio is back going over his top waiver wire targets for Week 17! Florio also discusses his favorite streaming defenses of the week before going over all of his starts and sits! Get everything you need for the week, before you even set your waivers! Be sure to also tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM […]


Survivor League Strategy Graphic

How To Master NFL Survivor Pools: Top Strategies to Win Your Survivor Leagues

Key Takeaways Survivor Pool Basics: NFL Survivor Pools are elimination contests where participants pick one team to win each week, but can’t reuse teams throughout the season. A single loss eliminates your entry. Winning Strategies: Success in Survivor Leagues requires strategic planning, like mapping out picks weeks in advance, avoiding popular or "chalk" selections to […]


Video: MUST ADD Waiver Wire Pickups For Week 17! Fantasy Football 2024

Our top 2024 fantasy football Week 17 waiver wire pickups for RB, WR, TE, and QB. This week's must-add fantasy football free agents -- potential waiver wire winners heading into Week 17 for running backs, wide receivers, tight ends, and quarterbacks. Be sure to tune into RotoBaller Radio on SiriusXM (SiriusXM channel 87) - every […]


Christian Watson - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

NFL DFS Lineup Picks For FanDuel, DraftKings - Saints vs. Packers MNF Showdown (Week 16)

Welcome back, RotoBallers! We have an NFC showdown tonight as Spencer Rattler and the banged-up New Orleans Saints (5-9) head to Lambeau to take on Jordan Love and the Packers (10-4). The Packers are poised to solidify themselves as the sixth seed in the NFC playoffs, while the Saints hope to make it through the […]


Michael Penix Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Top Week 17 Quarterback Pickups - Best Fantasy QB Adds, Streamers Include Anthony Richardson, Bo Nix, Bryce Young, more

Fantasy managers who rode Jalen Hurts and Josh Allen throughout the season and into the playoffs were certainly disappointed by their production in Week 16. Many managers were likely knocked out of the playoffs thanks to their underwhelming fantasy performances due to injuries and ineffectiveness. Still, some awesome quarterback performances could have swung fantasy matchups. […]


Jonathan Taylor - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Top 10 Running Back Studs - Best Fantasy Football RB Performances Including Jonathan Taylor, Chuba Hubbard, De'Von Achane, And More

Week 16 felt like a whirlwind. It featured enormous performances for both wideouts and running backs. This slate of NFL action has brandished the second-most touchdowns of the season -- one shy of matching the highest total of 2024 (Week 8). Just in time for the fantasy semi-finals. If you're still kicking, then kudos. Getting […]


Dalton Schultz - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Tight Ends Fantasy Football Waiver Wire - Week 17 TE Pickups Including Dalton Schultz, Hunter Henry, Chig Okonkwo, Brenton Strange and More!

This is championship week, people! So, if you are reading this, congratulations of sorts are in order. It all comes down to this in the majority of fantasy football leagues around the country and around the world. You drafted well, you picked up the right guys on the waiver wire, and you made all the […]


Kareem Hunt - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Week 17 Waiver Wire Rankings (2024) - Fantasy Football Pickups Include Kareem Hunt, Tyjae Spears, Patrick Taylor Jr., Jalen McMillan, Dalton Schultz

Fantasy championship week is finally here, the moment fantasy managers have grinded all season to get to. At RotoBaller HQ, we have worked hard all season to help you prepare for this week, and we are back with our Week 17 fantasy football waiver wire rankings for 2024 to help secure a fantasy championship. Use […]


Drew Lock - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

10 Worst QB Performances From Week 16, Including Drew Lock and Dorian Thompson-Robinson

Week 16 brought a mixed bag of quarterback performances. The Saturday games were excellent, but Sunday brought puzzling quarterback play. Particularly, Drew Lock and Dorian Thompson-Robinson struggled mightily in Week 16. Many quarterbacks are playing for their 2025 roster spots and starting jobs right now. Some of the guys on this list are not doing […]


Tyjae Spears - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, Waiver Wire Pickups

Running Back Fantasy Football Waiver Wire Pickups for Week 17: Kendre Miller, Tyjae Spears, Trey Benson, Michael Carter, Audric Estime

Congratulations to those of you who are constructing rosters in Week 17. You have maintained your highest level of flexibility while navigating through injuries, bye weeks, production-inhibiting coaching decisions, and other unwanted developments that emerged during the season. Now your diligence has placed you at the threshold of capturing your league's championship. Winning your league […]


Calvin Austin - Fantasy Football Rankings, Draft Sleepers, NFL Injury News

Wide Receiver Waiver Wire Pickups - Top Fantasy Football WR Adds for Week 17 Include Hollywood Brown, Wan'Dale Robinson, Calvin Austin III, Olamide Zaccheaus

This is it. Unless you're in some weird league that plays in Week 18, this upcoming week is the finals for your fantasy league. If you're still alive, it's you against one other person for the fantasy championship. With this week being the final chance for you, we're narrowing the focus of our wide receiver […]


Patrick Taylor Jr. - Fantasy Football Rankings, Waiver Wire Pickups, NFL Injury News

Biggest Fantasy Football Busts Of The Week - Fantasy Outlooks For Najee Harris, Brian Robinson Jr., Cooper Kupp, Khalil Shakir, Trey McBride, more

The 16th Sunday of the 2024 NFL season has come and gone. Hopefully, you woke up on Monday morning feeling very good about how your matchup went. However, this week's slate of games was certainly stress-inducing for many fantasy football managers. Part of that stress was caused by a group of players who drastically underachieved […]


Tyjae Spears - Fantasy Football Rankings, NFL Injury News, DFS Lineup Picks

Unexpected Boom Performances: Fantasy Football Risers Include Gus Edwards, Olamide Zaccheaus, Tyjae Spears, Chig Okonkwo, Kayshon Boutte

With fantasy football leagues now into their postseasons, Week 16 gave us a lot of stunning performances. One such outing came from rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. The Washington quarterback passed for 258 yards and five touchdowns, and he added 81 more yards on the ground to spur the Commanders to victory. Vikings superstar wideout Justin […]