Better Off? Ex-Patriots You Should Target, Avoid In Fantasy Football

The New England Patriots haven’t exactly been known for their fantasy football prominence over the last few seasons.

That doesn’t mean there aren’t a few former Patriots in new markets worth adding to your roster this upcoming season, however. Then again, there are a few players that you should avoid at all costs. It’s a balancing act.

Here is a list of players we’re looking to strike that balance with:

Target: Damien Harris, RB, Buffalo Bills
If you’re going to take a swing at Harris, you should wait as long as possible to do it. We’re talking the last round of your draft, or maybe the one before if you really like him.

Harris scored 15 rushing touchdowns for New England in 2021, and there’s a real chance he takes on that red-zone rushing role in Buffalo. The Bills can’t continue to let Josh Allen put his body on the line, so expect Harris to get his fair share of carries inside the five.

Avoid: Nelson Agholor, WR, Baltimore Ravens
This one is kind of obvious.

Agholor’s stint with the Patriots wasn’t necessarily awful, but it wasn’t great. He scored five touchdowns during two seasons with New England, but enjoyed a pair of eight-touchdown campaigns that influenced his contract. There’s no reason to expect any production out of Agholor, however, as he’s fighting for the fourth wideout spot in Baltimore.

Avoid: Jonnu Smith, TE, Atlanta Falcons
Again, obvious.

Smith played in New England during the same span as Agholor, and caught a whopping one (1) touchdown. He’ll join a Falcons system known for utilizing two tight ends, but we’ve seen that even Kyle Pitts hasn’t been able to get things going with the slop they’re throwing out there are QB. It doesn’t make sense to take a gamble on Smith at this point in his career.

Avoid: Cordarrelle Patterson, WR, Atlanta Falcons
It’s been awhile since Patterson was in New England, but he’s kind of become a stud in the years since he left.

In the last four years, Patterson has scored 20 touchdowns and gained over 2,500 total yards. The Falcons just seem insistent on taking touches away from him. Atlanta made Bijan Robinson a first-round pick for a reason, and it looks like he’ll be the new focal point on offense. That means less touches for Patterson, and less of a fantasy impact.

Target: Jakobi Meyers, WR, Las Vegas Raiders
Meyers is going to catch a lot of footballs, so if you’re in a PPR league, he’s worthy of an investment.

Meyers will be the No. 2 option in Las Vegas behind Davante Adams. That’s about all the Raiders have as proven pass-catching options, though, so Meyers’ reunion with head coach Josh McDaniels should guarantee you some touches, at the very least.

Avoid: Jimmy Garoppolo, QB, Las Vegas Raiders
This one is quick and simple.

The Raiders are going to funnel their offense through running back Josh Jacobs. That means less of an opportunity for Garoppolo, who was an average fantasy QB with Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Brandon Aiyuk.