Fantasy Football 2022: Four Patriots To Consider When Drafting
DeVante Parker might prove to be a trusted target for Mac Jones
Plenty of questions arise when thinking about the New England Patriots’ offense entering the 2022 campaign.
Will Mac Jones make a noticeable second-year leap? What the heck is going on with New England’s play-calling situation? How will the offensive line look given a handful of offseason departures? The list goes on and on.
And all of those questions prompt another one: Do the Patriots have any fantasy football contributors?
Here are four Patriots who you might want to consider:
Damien Harris, RB
It’s pivotal to find value with all draft picks in fantasy football, and the selection of Harris is not any different. With the majority of managers shying away from drafting Patriots’ running backs last season, Harris was available in the mid-to-late rounds and proved to be a steal. He finished as RB14 in total scoring while averaging 14.01 points in full-point leagues, per Sportradar.
The bulk of his fantasy production came from scoring 15 touchdowns on the ground, which ranked in a tie for second among all running backs. A potential regression from Harris is fair to expect. After all, there are plenty of questions relating to the offensive line and he’ll have competition for carries. But if you can draft Harris as a second or third running back, he will offer a high floor with plenty of potential for more. Harris is ranked RB26 in Yahoo’s preseason rankings.
Rhamondre Stevenson, RB
One of the biggest aspects working against Harris’ draft stock is related to Stevenson. The second-year running back is capable of a breakout year, much like Harris and fellow Patriot James White did before him. Stevenson, who was RB42 in average scoring on 9.57 points in full-point leagues, does have the ability to serve as more of a three-down back given his ability to catch the ball out of the backfield. It’s one reason some managers will look to Stevenson over Harris head-to-head, but Harris’ red-zone potential causes some to disagree. Stevenson is ranked RB33 on Yahoo’s preseason rankings, depicting he likely won’t reach the waiver wire.
DeVante Parker, WR
The Patriots acquired Parker from the Miami Dolphins this offseason in hopes of granting Mac Jones a trusted target. And while Parker will have to compete for targets with fellow wideouts Kendrick Bourne, Jakobi Meyers, Nelson Agholor and New England’s tight ends, a healthy Parker undoubtedly offers more potential than any of them. He offers more fantasy upside, too. Parker was WR46 in average scoring last season on 10.35 points in full-point leagues. And during his 2019 season, the only time Parker played every game in a season, he ranked WR16 in total scoring, per Sportradar. Parker is New England’s highest-ranked wideout as he is listed as WR50 on Yahoo’s preseason list with Meyers WR52 and Bourne WR64.
Nick Folk, K
Wait, a kicker?! Yes, a kicker. Folk was money in the bank last season for the Patriots while going a perfect 31-for-31 within 49 yards. He missed just three kicks on the season (36-for-39) as all were 50 yards or more. And should the offense sputter in the red area, well, that’s a benefit for Folk. It presents opportunities for more 30-, 40-, and 50-yard kicks. Folk is ranked as Yahoo’s 10th kicker indicating he’ll likely start the season one someone’s roster.
