Nov 9, 2026, 12:16 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) is in the team's plans for the trip to Munich to face the Detroit Lions in Week 10, though head coach Mike Vrabel said Monday that a final travel decision is pending, according to Mike Reiss. Sunday's game kicks off at 9:30 a.m. ET. Brown's knee flared up in practice before Week 8, when he went from limited Wednesday to a nonparticipant Thursday and Friday. He missed all three Week 9 practices, including Friday's final session, and sat out against the Green Bay Packers, his second straight absence. Before the flare-up, Brown caught six of 16 targets for 75 yards in two games after returning from injured reserve. Mack Hollins caught a touchdown in his first game back from injured reserve. DeMario Douglas is the deep-league option to target for yardage if Brown sits again. He caught eight passes for 178 yards across Brown's two absences. Efton Chism III caught five passes in each game, while Kyle Williams drew just two targets despite leading Patriots receivers with 49 offensive snaps against Green Bay.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Mike Reiss

Nov 9, 2026, 10:41 AM ET

New England wide receiver DeMario Douglas took advantage of a lopsided score to deliver a quality fantasy football performance in Week 9. In the team's 45-27 loss to Green Bay, Douglas went for 102 yards across five receptions and nine targets. That set a new season high for him in targets and yards. Douglas played 43 offensive snaps, which was 68.3% of the team's total. He is up to 434 receiving yards and four touchdowns across 31 catches and 46 targets in his nine games played. Douglas has a chance to remain heavily involved until A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) get back on the field. He's a more confident starting option in deeper leagues, but in the right matchups and situations, he also could have some standard league streaming appeal.--Morgan Rode
Source: ESPN

Nov 9, 2026, 1:47 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III reeled in all five of his targets for 49 yards and a touchdown in his team's 45-27 loss to the visiting Green Bay Packers. Chism snagged his second touchdown of the season late in the first half when he feigned a block and leaked out of the backfield for an easy eight-yard pitch-and-catch. Teammate Mack Hollins returned in Week 9, cutting into the 25-year-old's playing time. However, it didn't matter, as the latter tied fellow wideout DeMario Douglas for the team lead in receptions with his second straight appearance of five grabs. While quarterback Drake Maye has done well to spread the ball around, Chism has come on over the last few weeks as a solid red zone target. In fact, he leads all Patriots WRs with five opportunities inside the 20-yard line, and holds decent PPR upside despite a seemingly part-time role in the attack. New England sports a favorable draw the next time they take the field against the Detroit Lions in Germany.--Alex Ciulla
Source: ESPN

Nov 8, 2026, 10:41 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas was able to make the most of his opportunities during Sunday's game against the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots were down big in this one, so they aired it out throughout most of the game. Douglas hauled in five of his nine targets for 102 yards in the loss. Both the targets and yardage were season highs for Douglas, who has been playing much better recently. The 25-year-old has finished with 65 receiving yards or more in four of his last five games. He could be on the radar as a flex option for next week's matchup against the Detroit Lions.--Andy Webb
Source: ESPN

Nov 8, 2026, 1:35 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas offers decent flex value off waivers ahead of a home clash with the Green Bay Packers. Douglas hasn't seen much volume in a passing game that spreads it around, but he's been a nice fantasy play recently, posting three outings with at least 65 yards and a touchdown over his previous four appearances. As it stands, the Liberty product will again work in tandem with teammates Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams unless fellow wideout Mack Hollins (calf) suits up. If Hollins does play, it would make Douglas that much harder to trust for solid fantasy output. However, he'd retain some low-end flex appeal if the former misses a fifth straight game. Unfortunately, the Liberty product isn't quite a full-time player. Still, he warrants managers' attention because A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) is out, and tight end Hunter Henry's (foot) status remains uncertain.--Alex Ciulla
Source: ESPN

Nov 7, 2026, 6:37 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) has been activated from injured reserve ahead of Sunday's Week 9 contest against the Green Bay Packers, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. The 33-year-old remains listed as questionable to play, but his activation would seem to indicate that he'll suit up. Hollins isn't a very flashy name in fantasy football, but his ability to operate as a reliable target for Drake Maye will give him some WR3/flex appeal in 12+ team leagues. After all, Hollins posted a solid stat line of 15 catches and 209 yards from Weeks 1-4 before being placed on IR. His return comes at a perfect time for the Patriots, who recently placed Romeo Doubs (shoulder) on IR and will also be without A.J. Brown (knee) this week. Hollins, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism III should be the team's top three wide receivers on Sunday, and they all have varying levels of WR3/flex intrigue in deeper formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: Mike Reiss

Nov 7, 2026, 1:14 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) will miss a second straight game in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers due to a knee injury that has hampered him during his career, but the Patriots are optimistic that the star wideout will return after their bye in Week 11, according to Kinnu Singh of Bleacher Report. It has been a disappointing year for Brown, as he landed on Injured Reserve after suffering a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. After returning in Week 6, Brown played two games before popping up on the injury report with a knee issue that has knocked him out of the last two games. The quick turnaround may have put additional stress on his troublesome knee. Singh points out that the Los Angeles Rams were interested in acquiring Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in the offseason as well, but they were scared off by medical concerns about his knee. In just three games played in 2026, Brown has caught only nine passes for 101 yards and no touchdowns, while averaging just 8.3 yards per catch. The 29-year-old three-time Pro Bowler should remain stashed in most fantasy football leagues, but managers are beginning to run out of patience.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Bleacher Report - Kinnu Singh

Nov 7, 2026, 12:10 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) could immediately return to the WR3/flex range in fantasy football if he is activated from injured reserve ahead of Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. Hollins was limited all week long, so even though he's listed as questionable, he is not a lock to return from IR and suit up this Sunday. Hollins played in four games before getting injured, posting 8+ PPR points in three of those four contests. He also handled at least a 70% snap share in every game, excluding the Week 4 game in which he exited early. The veteran receiver has established himself as one of Drake Maye's favorite targets, as the quarterback has repeatedly shown that he trusts Hollins as a safe outlet even when he's in trouble. That should help Hollins' Week 9 outlook, especially in a weaker wide receiver room with A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) sidelined. He should also benefit from this particular matchup against the Packers, who have allowed the second-most catches and 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2026. Now, the big question is whether Hollins will be activated this week. We'll gain some clarity by 4 p.m. Saturday, which is the deadline for teams playing Sunday to make their IR moves. If he does play, he can be deployed as a WR3/flex in 14+ team leagues and even some deeper 12-team formats.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 7, 2026, 12:05 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver Efton Chism III is a candidate to handle a large workload in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots have dealt with numerous wide receiver injuries over the last five weeks, and Chism has capitalized on the opportunity to get more involved. Last week, he handled a career-high 88% snap share while catching five passes for 37 yards with A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) sidelined. He's not a huge deep threat, but he's still capable of making big plays with his reliable hands and ability to battle through contact. He's back on the fantasy radar this week, but his outlook could depend on the status of Mack Hollins (calf), as the two receivers have very similar styles of play. As it stands, Hollins is questionable for Week 9 and has not yet been activated from injured reserve. If Hollins doesn't suit up, we'd feel a little better about rolling out Chism as a WR3/flex in 12+ team leagues. He should benefit in a decent matchup against the Packers, who have allowed the second-most catches and 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers so far in 2026. As it stands, Chism ranks as the overall WR51 in RotoBaller's latest Week 9 fantasy football rankings.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 7, 2026, 12:00 AM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas could step up as the No. 1 target for quarterback Drake Maye in Week 9 against the Green Bay Packers. The Patriots will be without A.J. Brown (knee) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) again this week, and it's too early to tell whether Mack Hollins (calf) will suit up. Similar to previous weeks, Douglas finds himself in a substantially larger role as the potential top option in the pecking order. The 25-year-old has never shied away from more volume, producing to the tune of 17 catches, 250 yards, and four touchdowns over his last four games. He has posted 17.5+ PPR points in three of those four contests, and he ranked as the overall WR9 in PPR leagues from Weeks 5-8. In addition to his prominent role, Douglas is headed for a decent matchup against the Packers, who have allowed the second-most receptions and 12th-most fantasy points to wide receivers in 2026. Managers should feel confident starting Douglas, who ranks as the overall WR43 in RotoBaller's latest fantasy football rankings for Week 9.--Andersen Pickard
Source: RotoBaller

Nov 6, 2026, 1:37 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) has been ruled out for the team's Week 9 matchup with the Packers, according to senior team reporter Evan Lazar. Following a four-game stint on Injured Reserve due to a high-ankle sprain suffered in the season opener, the veteran was able to return for two games before reappearing on the injury report with knee and ankle concerns, and he will now miss his second straight game. Reports of a degenerative knee condition were believed to have thinned Brown's pool of suitors before an eventual offseason trade to the Patriots, and in his first year with the team, the three-time Pro Bowler has appeared in three contests, catching nine of his 20 targets for 101 yards and no touchdowns.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Evan Lazar

Nov 6, 2026, 12:34 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) was absent from Friday's practice, according to Evan Lazar, following consecutive non-participation designations on Wednesday and Thursday. Brown missed last week's victory over the Miami Dolphins after a knee flare-up complicated his recovery from a high-ankle sprain. The 29-year-old has appeared in just three games this season, catching nine passes for 101 yards without a touchdown. His continued absence raises serious concerns about his availability for Sunday's Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers. DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III and Kyle Williams handled much of the receiving work without Brown in Week 8. Chism caught five passes for 37 yards, while Douglas recorded 76 yards and a touchdown on three receptions. Williams also contributed a 43-yard touchdown catch. Those three receivers would likely remain heavily involved if Brown misses another game.--Bruno Mulé
Source: Evan Lazar

Nov 5, 2026, 2:54 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) remains absent from the team's practice on Thursday, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Brown is trending toward missing a second straight practice this week after not being able to play in Sunday's Week 8 win over the division-rival Miami Dolphins due to ankle and knee issues. The 29-year-old suffered a high-ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks and landed on Injured Reserve. Brown was not 100% when he returned for two games against the New York Jets and Chicago Bears, catching six of his 12 targets for 75 yards and no touchdowns, and now he is in danger of missing a second straight game this weekend when the Green Bay Packers come to town in Week 9. Brown will most likely need to practice in some capacity on Friday to avoid being officially ruled out for a second straight game, but even if he somehow gets cleared to play against the Packers, he will be a volatile starting fantasy receiver. With Romeo Doubs still on IR, DeMario Douglas has been the biggest beneficiary of Brown's ailments, finding the end zone four times in the last four games as New England's top pass-catcher.--Keith Hernandez
Source: Patriots.com - Evan Lazar

Nov 4, 2026, 1:25 PM ET

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle, knee) will not practice on Wednesday as he continues to deal with the ankle and knee injuries that kept him out of the team's Week 8 win over the Dolphins. The Patriots traded a first- and fifth-round pick to acquire the three-time Pro Bowler from the Philadelphia Eagles, but the start of Brown's tenure in New England has been marred by injury and uncharacteristic drops, limiting him to only nine catches for 101 yards and no touchdowns through Week 8. Should Brown miss his second consecutive game, fantasy managers can again look to DeMario Douglas, who finished Sunday's win with 76 yards and a touchdown, as quarterback Drake Maye continues to excel despite a depleted receiving corps.--Patrick McGrath
Source: Evan Lazar