A.J.Brown

News: 8 hours agoBrown was a limited participant in Wednesday's practice due to knee and ankle injuries.

Spin: The Patriots are remaining cautious with Brown, who is apparently nursing a knee issue in addition to getting continued maintenance for the high-ankle sprain that kept him out for four games. Brown was limited in two practices ahead of a Thursday night game against the Bears but still played 92 percent of the offensive snaps in the 30-24 loss. A similar rep-management plan could be in place for Brown going into Sunday's game against the Dolphins.

ESPN Fantasy Projection: Brown was traded to the Patriots in June. The veteran receiver enters 2026 looking to continue his streak of finishing in the top 15 in fantasy points per game during each of the four seasons he was with the Eagles. That includes an 11th-place finish in 2025 in which Brown reached the 1,000-yard mark for the sixth time in his seven NFL seasons while finding the end zone exactly seven times for the third year in a row. Brown continues to benefit from elite usage (he has finished no lower than seventh among WRs in target share each of the past seven seasons) and elite efficiency (he has finished 80th percentile or better in yards per route run all seven years). He could use more end zone targets in New England (he had a career-low four last season), but Brown, 29, is set to work as Drake Maye's top target in a good Patriots' offense. He is a fringe fantasy WR1.