Patriots Fantasy Advice: Who To Start, Who To Sit For Bucs Showdown

At last, it’s game day in Foxboro, Mass.

Sunday’s matchup between the Patriots and Bucs carries a ton of intrigue, including its potential as a goldmine for fantasy football owners. New England and Tampa Bay both feature multiple players who generate fantasy-related conversations on a weekly basis.

But which ones deserve spots in your lineups?

Ahead of the Week 4 contest, we came up with the Patriots players you should start, and those you should sit, on your fantasy teams.

START
Patriots receivers
Specifically Nelson Agholor, Kendrick Bourne and/or Jakobi Meyers.

This is less about New England’s wideouts than it is Tampa’s secondary, which is so thin that Richard Sherman will start Sunday night. The Patriots’ passing game has not inspired much confidence this season, but Agholor, Bourne and Meyers all have had their moments. If New England’s offensive line holds up, all three should enjoy some level of success.

We’re not suggesting rolling with Agholor, Bourne or Meyers as WR1s or even WR2s. But as FLEX plays? Go for it.

Mac Jones, QB
Apply the same logic.

There’s plenty of risk with this play, as Jones is a rookie playing in as pressure-packed of a non-playoff game as you’ll ever find. It wouldn’t be a surprise if things go sideways for he and the Patriots offense.

But New England likely will need to air it out of it’s going to keep up with Brady and Tampa’s offense. Even if the points largely come in garbage time, Jones should post enough to warrant QB1 consideration.

Nick Folk, K
We know, it’s not a sexy pick, but Folk absolutely deserves a spot in your lineup.

The veteran is 9-for-9 on field goals this season and has been money since the start of the 2020 campaign. No, the Patriots can’t win this game by kicking field goals, but that doesn’t mean Folk won’t see multiple opportunities. Start him with confidence.

Why Sunday’s Game Means So Much More For Patriots Than Buccaneers

Oct 1, 2021

SIT
Patriots running backs
We still are aboard the Damien Harris bandwagon and love the potential of backups Rhamondre Stevenson and J.J. Taylor.

But Harris was benched last week after struggling with blitz pickups, and Stevenson and Taylor both need a lot of work in that area. It would not be shocking if New England abandons the run early and just rolls with Brandon Bolden to help in pass protection.

Plus, with James White now done for the season, we need to see how the Patriots rotate their running backs before feeling confident with any fantasy strategy.

Patriots D/ST
Don’t overthink this.

Yes, Rob Gronkowski is out, but that doesn’t matter. The Bucs offense still is loaded and Brady still is the quarterback. Do not start the Patriots defense this weekend.

Jonnu Smith, TE
Smith just had one of the worst games you’ll ever see from a Patriots tight end. He was miserable against the New Orleans Saints.

The veteran should be a fantasy-relevant tight end at some point this season. But he’s currently too much of an adventure to trust in your lineups. Hunter Henry is the better Patriots tight end to start Sunday if you have to roll with one.