New England Patriots receiver Julian Edelman will not have quarterback Tom Brady throwing him passes this year.
And while Brady’s departure to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers certainly will impact the Patriots on the football field, it also will impact players’ fantasy football production… right?
Well, ESPN’s Eric Karabell seems unsure of just how impactful it will be and it’s led him to remain high on Edelman’s stock. Here’s what Karabell had to say in an ESPN story Monday:
… In other words, regardless of whom Belichick and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels settle on at quarterback, fantasy managers are misjudging wide receiver Julian Edelman and running back James White. … Edelman finished as the No. 7 PPR wide receiver with 100 catches, 1,117 yards and six touchdowns (in 2019).Â
Nobody is saying to choose Edelman among the top 10 wide receivers (even though his past production warrants a look as early as Round 3), but don’t let him fall too far, either. I still rank him as a WR3 in PPR formats, No. 27 at the position, perhaps a sixth-round choice. That sells him short, though, and reflects that there are younger, upside choices I like more. Edelman gets open, and we want the catches. He averaged 11.2 yards per catch in 2019, consistent with his five other seasons as a reliable starter; and while 84 players did better, only four caught more passes. In that six-year run, Edelman averaged 88 receptions for 965 yards and five touchdowns per season, over 14 games.
Some wise advice to follow for the NFL’s 2020 fantasy season.
