WR · NE
general
Sunday Patriots Notes: Tough love shaped A.J. Brown’s leadership
Notes and thoughts on A.J. Brown, the Christian Gonzalez negotiations, the volume of offseason moves, and more
A.J. Brown
WR · NE · 29 yrs · exp 7 · Ole Miss
Status
- Game status
- Active
Keep Trade Cut (SF TEP)
From latest snapshot · trend vs ~7d prior when data allows.
Value
5,335
Rank
#51
Pos rank
#19
7d trend
—
Value history (90d)
One snapshot point per calendar day (shown in your timezone).
Latest: Sep 7, 2026 · 5,335
News
Stories linked to this player — newest first.
analyst
Hunter Henry is Likely to Play a Key Part in the Offense
New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry quietly put together a top-10 season at his position in 2025. The Patriots made some offensive upgrades this offseason, but Henry is expected to remain a focal point. Over the offseason, the Pats added wide receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. The assumption is that Henry will take a backseat to them, but that might not be the case. Henry has finished with 60 or more receptions during his first two seasons with Drake Maye under center. The two of them clearly have good chemistry, which is something you don't mess with. According to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com, Henry is expected to be a key part of the Patriots' offense next season. It's unclear if he'll post another top-10 season, but he should be a viable option
general
Eagles have seven captains, with none from special teams
Like last year, the Eagles have five offensive captains. Like last year, the Eagles have two defensive captains. Unlike last year, the Eagles have no special-teams captains. The Eagles announced their seven 2026 captains on Friday: quarterback Jalen Hurts, running back Saquon Barkley, receiver DeVonta Smith, tackle Lane Johnson, tackle Jordan Mailata, linebacker Zack Baun, and defensive tackle Jordan Davis. Smith replaces receiver A.J. Brown, and Davis replaces safety Reed Blankenship. No one replaces kicker Jake Elliott, who wore a ‘C’ in 2025. Davis is the only first-time captain. Hurts has won the distinction for a fifth straight year. Most teams have at least one special-teams captain. Some teams prefer not to potentially distract a kicker’s pregame ritual with any additional responsibilities that come from being a game-day captain
WR · NE
analyst
A.J. Brown Primed for Resurgent Season as Focal Point of Passing Game
Entering his first season with the team in 2026, New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown looks like the clear focal point of his team's passing game. Even in a tumultuous 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he publicly agitated for more targets and a larger role, Brown recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games. With the Patriots, Brown should be rejuvenated and could have a chance to get back to his peak form, when he recorded 2,952 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2023. Brown's profile carries some risk for fantasy managers, as he's entering his age-29 season and has missed six games over the past two years due to knee and hamstring injuries. Still, Brown is in a strong position in New England to recapture his top-12 fantasy WR status
general
Stephen Jones: It will be "real difficult" to keep both George Pickens and CeeDee Lamb long term
Not even a month ago, Cowboys executive vice president Stephen Jones called it “ realistic ” for the team to think it can keep CeeDee Lamb and George Pickens long term. This week, Jones admitted keeping both wide receivers beyond 2026 will be challenging. “I don’t know of any teams that really can pay two top receivers top of the market, so that’s gonna be a real difficult situation as we move forward,” Jones told the DLLS Cowboys podcast. “We’ve managed to figure out how we can do it for this year. If everything works out the way we think it is, [in] which CeeDee and George both have huge years again, then it’ll be a bigger challenge next year.” Before the 2024 season, Lamb signed a four-year, $136 million extension. His $34 million annual average ranks sixth at the position. Pickens will play this season under the one-year, $27.3 million franchise tag. He is coming off a career year when he made 93 catches for 1,429 yards and nine touchdowns. “George is really wanting to put back-to-back years on top of one another, so it’ll help his market,” Jones said. “And certainly, I know at some point -- as does every player in this league -- will want to be rewarded with a long-term contract. So that certainly puts pressure on us to have a unique situation there at wide receiver.” The Bengals managed to pay Ja’Marr Chase (four-year, $161 million extension signed in 2025) and Tee Higgins (four-year, $115 million extension signed in 2025), and the Eagles paid A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith before trading Brown this offseason. But Pickens will want — and will deserve — more than Higgins or Smith if he has another year like last year. The Cowboys hope they face that problem in the offseason, because that will mean Lamb and Pickens both had solid seasons again. “[Cowboys defensive coordinator] Christian Parker will tell you, who went against us twice a year, what a challenge that it was for the Eagles when they played us, and he was on the defensive side of the ball trying to defend Dak [Prescott] and those two receivers,” Jones said
general
Kayshon Boutte takes Mike Vrabel's "inactive" comment in stride
Kayshon Boutte responds to Mike Vrabel's comment that he would have been inactive if he had stayed with the Patriots, expressing no hard feelings and focusing on his role with the Texans
analyst
Drake Maye's Growth Has Stood Out to His Head Coach
New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye came one vote away from winning the MVP Award in his first full season as a starter, and head coach Mike Vrabel has seen notable improvements since he took over the team in 2025. In speaking with reporters on Thursday about Maye's growth, Vrabel pointed out, "More comfort in what we're doing. More command. More understanding." Maye threw for 4,394 yards and 31 touchdowns to only eight interceptions, adding 450 yards and four scores on the ground on his way to a QB2 finish, and the Patriots spent the offseason improving his offensive line and pass-catchers, most notably adding receivers A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, both of whom have reportedly established a quick rapport with the 24-year-old signal-caller. Questions about how much a historically easy schedule played into Maye's success have lingered throughout the offseason, particularly after a significant postseason dropoff, but an improved offensive environment could serve to raise a fantasy ceiling that was already among the highest in the league, making him a potential value at RotoBaller's QB6
WR · NE
analyst
A.J. Brown's WR1 Ceiling Is Back in Play
New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown has looked comfortable in his new offense from the start. Brown still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games with Philadelphia last season, but his move to New England gave him a chance to pair with Drake Maye after a frustrating year in the Eagles' passing game. That connection showed up throughout camp. Brown beat Christian Gonzalez on a double move for a long touchdown on July 31, then got behind the defense again for another would-be score on Aug. 17. Two days later, he was one of New England's standouts during a joint practice with Philadelphia as Maye kept finding him downfield. The Patriots rested Brown in all three preseason games, so there was no reason to risk the new No. 1 receiver in exhibition action. RotoBaller has him at WR9 in its latest half-PPR rankings. Brown was already a proven fantasy option, but a strong first summer with Maye has pushed his WR1 ceiling back into focus
QB · PHI
WR · NE
general
Jalen Hurts acknowledges that "clearly" he and A.J. Brown grew apart
Jalen Hurts acknowledged the obvious: He and wide receiver A.J. Brown grew apart. It took prompting, but the Eagles quarterback finally told GQ magazine in an interview published Tuesday that the two weren’t as close last season as they once were. “There’s no surprise that it was talked about ,” Hurts told GQ when asked if he and Brown had grown apart. The reporter then asked Hurts again whether the two had grown apart. “I mean, clearly,” he told the magazine. The Eagles traded Brown to the Patriots in June, and the wide receiver told reporters last month that he and Hurts had not spoken since the trade. Hurts and Brown did briefly catch up after the second of two practices between their teams. The two men initially met when Hurts hosted Brown on a recruiting trip at Alabama. After they became Eagles’ teammates, following the Titans’ trade of Brown to Philadelphia, Hurts became the godfather to Brown’s daughter, Jersee. In four seasons with the Eagles, Brown caught 339 passes for 5,034 yards and 32 touchdowns. He became frustrated with Hurts and his role in the offseason in 2024, and the Eagles eventually granted Brown’s request for a trade
analyst
Stuck in the Middle with You | How to Draft from the 1.06 in 2026
Drafting strategies from the 1.06 position in a 12-team, PPR draft
general
Eagles depth chart: First look at the initial 2026 roster
A first look at the Philadelphia Eagles' depth chart for the 2026 season
WR · NE
analyst
A.J. Brown - Not playing Thursday
sleeper-rotowire+19 stories · 30dSource unavailable
Brown isn't in uniform for Thursday's preseason game in Cleveland, Evan Lazar of the Patriots' official site reports. Brown thus won't see any game action during this exhibition season. He's expected to serve as the top target for QB Drake Maye in 2026, considering the key asset (a 2028 first-round pick) sent to Philadelphia to gain his services. In seven campaigns as a pro, Brown has surpassed 1,000 receiving yards six times while racking up 57 total TDs in 105 regular-season contests
analyst
Hunter Henry Expected to Play a Very Important Role Again in 2026
Hunter Henry expected to have a significant role in the New England Patriots' offense in 2026
WR · NE
analyst
A.J. Brown Not Suiting Up Thursday Against the Browns
According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season
analyst
Drake Maye's Fantasy Environment Has Only Gotten Better
Drake Maye's fantasy environment has improved with the addition of new receivers and a more favorable schedule
general
NFC North, AFC South teams reveal 'Rivalries' uniforms
The NFL’s second wave of “Rivalries” uniforms were unveiled on Tuesday
general
Makai Lemon: "For sure" I'll be up to speed for Week 1
Eagles wide receiver Makai Lemon returned to practice last week after an extended absence due to a hamstring injury and the rookie is confident that he’ll have enough practice time to be at full speed for the season opener. Lemon said “for sure” to a question about whether there’s enough time for him to feel like himself for the Eagles’ matchup with the Commanders and said all of the mental reps he took while off the field have served to prepare him for the task at hand. The first-round pick’s process will include as much time with quarterback Jalen Hurts as he can get. “Each and every day I feel like that chemistry and that work never stops ,” Lemon said. “Each and every day after practice, just talking to him whenever I can. I feel like anytime I can build that chemistry, it’s good.” Lemon dealt with a hamstring injury in the same leg during the offseason program and said he isn’t worried about further issues on that front. “I feel pretty confident,” Lemon said. “Just learning from my mistakes from the previous times, working with the trainers, setting a good plan for me, just being a professional off the field.” The Eagles picked Lemon as part of their plans for life without A.J. Brown in 2026, so anything he can do to ensure he’s on the field and playing at a high level over the next few weeks will be welcome in Philadelphia
general
Patriots agree to trade Kayshon Boutte to Texans
The Texans are bringing in a young receiver who will help replace the injured Jayden Higgins. Per Tom Pelissero of TheRinger.com, Houston is acquiring Kayson Boutte from New England in exchange for safety Jaylen Reed and a draft pick. Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports the draft pick is a 2028 seventh-round selection from the Saints. Boutte is entering the final year of his rookie contract and was considered the likely odd man out of the Patriots’ revamped receivers room with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. He said in July that he was taking things day-by-day and not thinking about what’s next. Now, he’ll be in Houston with a team that has aspirations of a deep postseason run. A sixth-round pick in 2023, Boutte caught 33 passes for 551 yards with six touchdowns in 14 regular-season games last year. He also had nine catches for 168 yards with a touchdown in New England’s four postseason contests. Reed was a Houston sixth-round pick in 2025 and appeared in seven games with one start as a rookie. He spent most of his playing time on special teams, recording 14 total tackles and a fumble recovery last season
analyst
Kayshon Boutte traded to Texans
Kayshon Boutte has been traded to the Texans from the Patriots in exchange for Jaylen Reed and a 2028 seventh-round pick
analyst
Kayshon Boutte Gets Fresh Start in Houston
Kayshon Boutte joins the Houston Texans in a trade from the New England Patriots
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