NFL training camp is on the horizon, which means fantasy drafting isn’t far away. Finding value deep in drafts to build out fantasy rosters is important to winning. One place where value can be found for the 2023 season comes from the Patriots’ passing attack.
The New England Patriots’ passing offense struggled in 2022. Mac Jones was inefficient in his second season, the team lacked receiving talent, and the offensive playcalling was disjointed. New England has corrected some of these issues by adding Bill O’Brien as their offensive coordinator and wide receiver JuJu Smith-Schuster as a free agent. They also hosted DeAndre Hopkins on a visit after he was cut by the Arizona Cardinals.
With teams nearing training camp, it means there could still be some turnover in the wide receiver room for the Patriots as they try to revive their passing offense. One potential player who can be affected by these changes is veteran wide receiver DeVante Parker.
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DeVante Parker Signs Three-Year Extension With New England
As it currently stands, DeVante Paker is the Patriots’ best-contested catch wide receiver, giving him a clear role as an outside receiver and red zone threat in an offense that struggled to move the ball in 2022. Parker had an inconsistent first season with the Patriots, catching 31 of 47 targets for 539 yards and three touchdowns in 13 games. His 17.4 yards per reception led the team.
Despite Parker’s success as New England’s most reliable downfield threat, there was plenty of speculation that Parker could be on the way out of New England given the team’s interest in DeAndre Hopkins and the $6 million the team would save by cutting him. However, those rumors were dispelled this week.
What this means regarding the team’s pursuit of DeAndre Hopkins is unknown, but one thing is for certain: Parker will be in New England for the foreseeable future with a three-year contract extension.
Should I Draft DeVante Parker For Fantasy Football?
Should managers draft Parker in upcoming 2023 fantasy drafts? He is second on New England's wide receiver depth chart behind Smith-Schuster and caught 31 of 47 targets for 539 yards and three touchdowns over 13 games as the team's de facto No. 1 in 2022. Most of his production last season came in Week 3 when he caught five passes for 156 yards. The veteran wideout has an FFPC ADP of 307.14 and is ranked 88th in the latest RotoBaller wide receiver rankings, making Parker a late-round flier at best in deep-league formats.
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