RADIO
Things are about to get very complicated for New England Patriots wide receivers this week. Brandon LaFell has been activated for Sunday’s showdown with the New York Jets after missing the first six weeks of the season with a foot injury. LaFell was a fantasy stud for New England last season with an average of seven targets per game and finishing only second to Rob Gronkowski in receiving touchdowns. It’s unknown if LaFell will be on a snap count considering it’s his first game of the season but he definitely changes the outlook for the other Patriots wide receivers against the Jets.
Most weeks would see Julian Edelman as an elite WR1 option after seeing how consistent and great he has performed with Tom Brady this season. The problem is he will likely be shadowed by Jets superstar cornerback Darrelle Revis. As one of the most talented players in the league, Revis has been shutting down the opposing WR1 all season and is an early candidate for the MVP. Edelman will have a tough time getting open to make his usual high volume of catches. This creates fantasy value for the second wide receiver on the Patriots.
Before LaFell was activated, Danny Amendola was a sneaky play as the slot receiver likely to avoid Revis and get quite a few receptions. The return of LaFell will limit Amendola down to three-receiver set formations only and ruins any chance of him blowing up. If he stays on the field long enough and is healthy enough to be effective, LaFell could be the mother of all steals. The Jets defense is so great that Tom Brady will likely have to be relied on more than usual and throw frequently to put points on the board. Revis shadowing Edelman could make LaFell his top target on the day. We know Brady loves throwing it to LaFell in the end zone and it’s hard to imagine he won’t pass for at least one or two touchdowns. LaFell could provide huge results as a buy-low in daily fantasy but it’s a huge risk.
As for Brady, you have to start him and believe his superb play will overpower the Jets defense and lead to another big game. New York does an even better job shutting down running backs as they’re ranked second best at stopping the rush. Brady is going to have more than enough passing attempts to make an impact. It’s hard to imagine any defense being good enough to limit him all day.
