RADIO
A.J. Brown Eligible to Return From Injured Reserve Next Week
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) has been in the locker room over the last few days and is eligible to return from Injured Reserve next week, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. The Boston Herald's Doug Kyed reported on Wednesday that Brown was not walking around the locker room with a limp. The 29-year-old has not yet returned to practice, but he is nearing the light at the end of the tunnel in his recovery from a right high-ankle sprain that he suffered in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 1. Brown can officially return to the practice field next week, but even if he does, it is not a guarantee that he will come off IR to play in Week 6 against the division-rival New York Jets. The three-time Pro Bowler was acquired from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason to become quarterback Drake Maye's go-to target, but his ankle injury in Week 1 put a halt to those plans. Brown should remain stashed in all fantasy leagues as he nears the end of his recovery and will be a must-start in fantasy lineups whenever he returns to action.
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar
A.J. Brown is Not Walking with a Limp
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) was seen in the locker room without a noticeable limp, according to Doug Kyed of the Boston Herald. Brown has been out since suffering a right high-ankle sprain during the season opener against the Seattle Seahawks. The star wideout is hopeful to get back on the field after missing the minimum of four weeks he is required to miss because he was placed on the Injured Reserve. He's eligible to practice next week, so Brown moving around without a limp is a good sign ahead of him possibly practicing next week. Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins will continue to operate as the primary wideouts until Brown is ready to play again.
Source: Doug Kyed
Source: Doug Kyed
Mack Hollins Not Anticipated to Practice Wednesday
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) exited early from the team's Week 4 win over the Bills, leaving the field in obvious discomfort after sustaining a non-contact injury, and head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters on Wednesday that he is not expected to practice with the calf injury. Hollins has been the team's leading receiver through four weeks, and in his absence, Romeo Doubs, fresh off a two-touchdown performance, becomes close to a must-start player as the de facto number one receiver in an offense looking to sustain momentum. Second-year wideout Efton Chism III could also have some flex value in deeper leagues after finishing Sunday's contest with 42 yards and the game-winning touchdown grab, an early candidate for catch of the year.
Source: Evan Lazar
Source: Evan Lazar
Efton Chism III Worth Adding After Making Headlines in Week 4
New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III has defied the odds, going from a 2025 undrafted free agent to a meaningful fantasy football contributor this season. Chism has taken on a larger role over the last few weeks with AJ Brown (ankle) on injured reserve. There isn't a clear pecking order in New England, but the 24-year-old finished fourth on the team in targets (4) and receiving yards (42) against the Buffalo Bills in Week 4. He also made a spectacular touchdown catch that led to an embarrassing postgame viral moment for Bills cornerback C.J. Gardner-Johnson. While fantasy leagues don't reward extra points for one-handed catches, the play itself was an encouraging sign that Chism is capable of making plays on trickier targets. In other words, he can catch passes on plays where some other receivers might not be able. His big-play and touchdown upside gives him waiver wire appeal in leagues with 12+ teams heading into Week 5, especially with Brown still on IR and Mack Hollins (calf) at risk of missing time. If Hollins can't play this week, Chism could be the Patriots' No. 2 wide receiver behind Romeo Doubs.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Romeo Doubs Starting to Click in New England
New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs is starting to get into a rhythm with quarterback Drake Maye after a rough start to the season, and he's worth a look if you need wide receiver help from the waiver wire. Doubs started the year with a tough drop and a zero-catch game in Seattle but has been looking more comfortable in the Pats' offense the last few weeks. Against the Bills in Week 4, he led the team with six catches on a team-high nine targets, and he hauled in a pair of touchdowns to help his team pull off the road upset in the division. Doubs got some extra attention after Mack Hollins (calf) left the game with an injury, and he had a big fantasy performance as a result, even if Efton Chism III stole the headlines with his spectacular, game-winning touchdown grab. With Hollins uncertain for this week's contest against the Raiders and A.J. Brown (ankle) not eligible to return until Week 6, Doubs is a strong plug-and-play option from the waiver wire if available. Even though the Raiders have been solid against wide receivers this season, Doubs should be in position to get enough volume to still be a starting option in most formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins Could Miss Practice Time With Calf Injury
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) may be sidelined when the team begins practicing for Week 5. Head coach Mike Vrabel told Doug Kyed on Monday that he doesn't know if Hollins will be able to practice for the next couple of days after the veteran left Sunday's win over Buffalo in the third quarter. Hollins caught three of four targets for 53 yards before exiting and now leads New England with 209 receiving yards through four games. Efton Chism III took on a bigger role after Hollins went down and later caught the go-ahead touchdown in the fourth quarter. There is still plenty of time before Sunday's matchup with Las Vegas, so Hollins shouldn't be considered doubtful at this point. His practice participation later in the week should give fantasy managers a much better idea of whether the calf injury will cost him any game action.
Source: Doug Kyed
Source: Doug Kyed
Romeo Doubs Finally Producing as an Alpha Receiver in Fantasy Football
New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs has been operating as the team's No. 1 wideout since the end of Week 1, but Sunday's Week 4 win over the Buffalo Bills was the first time we saw that increased role truly lead to high-end fantasy production. Doubs led the team in targets (nine) and catches (six), resulting in 58 receiving yards and two touchdowns. We're finally seeing the upside that the Patriots envisioned when they signed Doubs over the offseason, and he's beginning to fill in nicely as the de facto No. 1 receiver with A.J. Brown (ankle) on injured reserve for at least one more week. With that being said, fantasy managers might want to consider selling high on Doubs, because even though he does have one more week as Drake Maye's top target, his volume could dip once Brown returns to action in Week 6 or later.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins Questionable to Return With Calf Injury
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) is questionable to return to Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills, according to Evan Lazar of Patriots.com. Hollins went down without contact on an incomplete pass during New England's first possession of the second half. He walked off the field before heading to the locker room. Hollins had three catches for 53 yards before leaving after posting six receptions for 87 yards against Jacksonville last week.
Source: Evan Lazar
Source: Evan Lazar
Patriots Hope A.J. Brown Will Return in Week 6
The New England Patriots "hope" that wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) will be able to return from injured reserve after the minimum four weeks, according to Mike Garafolo of NFL Network. If that happens, his first game back would be Week 6 against the New York Jets on Oct. 18. However, Garafolo cautions that the entire situation remains fluid, and given that Brown originally had a six-week recovery timeline after he exited the season opener, it's too early to guarantee that he'll be on the field in Week 6. New England won't rush the star receiver back, but they'd certainly love to get him on the field as soon as he's healthy. The Patriots' offense has looked abysmal for most of this season, and Brown would inject some much-needed physicality and playmaking upside into a unit that has just one passing touchdown through three games this season. Romeo Doubs and Mack Hollins have been operating as Drake Maye's top targets with Brown sidelined.
Source: Mike Garafolo
Source: Mike Garafolo
Kyle Williams is Losing Value as Fourth Receiver
New England Patriots wide receiver Kyle Williams was expected to see an expanded role with A.J. Brown (ankle) landing on the Injured Reserve. Instead, Williams operated as the fourth receiver during last week's loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The 23-year-old hauled in one of his three targets for 34 yards in the loss. It doesn't appear that even the injury to Brown will be enough to make Williams a real part of this offense. Williams has the speed to be a legitimate threat, but maybe the Patriots don't view him as an every-down wideout right now. Williams is worth holding in dynasty formats, but he doesn't need to be started versus the Buffalo Bills in Week 4.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
DeMario Douglas Remains Off Fantasy Radars in Week 4 vs. Bills
New England Patriots wideout DeMario Douglas has fallen victim to a broken Patriots passing offense. Once a fantasy favorite in the community has now drifted off fantasy radars in 2026. The 25-year-old is the PPR WR84 overall and is averaging 4.6 PPR points per game. In addition, the Patriots offense looks like a shell of itself from a year ago, when Drake Maye was an MVP runner-up. As a result, Douglas enters Week 4 as RotoBaller's PPR WR72 against an intriguing Buffalo Bills defense. The Bills defense has allowed the fifth-most receiving touchdowns (7) and the seventh-most receiving yards this season. This is a prime opportunity for the Patriots offense to jump-start their season. However, Douglas should remain out of the fantasy lineups in Week 4 and until the Patriots have a reliable passing game again.
Source: NFL.com
Source: NFL.com
Mack Hollins an Intriguing Fantasy Starter Against His Former Team in Week 4
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins has emerged as a potentially viable fantasy football starter for Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills. Hollins is the overall WR42 in PPR leagues this year, and he has scored at least nine points in two of his three games so far. The veteran pass-catcher has stepped up as one of Drake Maye's most physical and reliable targets after the Patriots placed AJ Brown (ankle) on injured reserve following the season opener. Brown still has another two-plus weeks on IR, leaving Hollins' fantasy managers with a multi-week opportunity to start him. Hollins' physicality and reliability, which resulted in him earning nine targets last week, should lead to some touchdowns sooner rather than later. He's a strong WR3/flex option this week against the Bills, who have allowed the fourth-most yards and sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Romeo Doubs Offers the Highest Floor Among Patriots Receivers
New England Patriots wide receiver Romeo Doubs has stepped up as the team's highest-floor receiver heading into Week 4 against the Buffalo Bills. The Patriots have been using Doubs as their No. 1 receiver ever since placing AJ Brown (ankle) on injured reserve, and he has looked solid over the last two weeks with six catches for 145 yards. With that said, he's still looking for his first touchdown as a Patriot, and he has also yet to catch more than three passes in a single game this season. Doubs' upside has been capped due to the frustrating state of New England's underperforming offense, but he still has a very steady floor based on his snap share and volume. Doubs is a WR3/flex for Week 4. He should benefit from a negative game script matchup against a Bills defense that has allowed the fourth-most yards and sixth-most fantasy points to wide receivers this year.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Mack Hollins Makes for an Interesting Deep-League Option
New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins stepped up for this offense this past weekend. Hollins hauled in six of his nine targets for 87 yards in the blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Pats are without A.J. Brown (ankle) right now, so they needed someone to step up. Hollins did a nice job on Sunday and figures to earn himself a bigger role in the offense going forward. The 33-year-old clearly has good chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye. Fantasy managers needing wide receiver help in deep leagues should consider adding Hollins ahead of the Week 4 matchup against the Buffalo Bills.
Source: Pro Football Reference
Source: Pro Football Reference
A.J. Brown Walking Around Without a Limp
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle) walked through the team's locker room without a limp on Monday, according to Taylor Kyles of Patriots CLNS. Brown was wearing cleats with a small ankle wrap. The Pro Bowl wideout was placed on Injured Reserve on Sept. 12 after suffering a dreaded high-ankle sprain in the season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Brown will not be officially allowed to resume practicing with the Patriots again until Week 6, but he is apparently making excellent progress and could be ready to be activated from IR as soon as he is eligible. Receivers Romeo Doubs, Mack Hollins, and DeMario Douglas have been on the field more in the last two weeks with Brown sidelined, but New England's aerial attack has really struggled under quarterback Drake Maye. The Patriots, who are now 1-2 through three weeks, cannot get Brown back soon enough. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler caught three of four targets for 26 yards in Week 1 before injuring his ankle. Brown should be stashed in an IR spot in all fantasy football leagues.
Source: Patriots CLNS - Taylor Kyles
Source: Patriots CLNS - Taylor Kyles
