Wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, a 2024 second-round pick out of Washington who had a rocky rookie season (12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs), is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Vrabel said he has been excited about how Polk has approached his rehabilitation, working on his lower-body strength.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins

There's no timetable for recovery here, but Polk certainly didn't need any setbacks after catching only 38.7% of his 31 targets as a 2024 rookie. He should be considered more of a Dynasty hold than a redraft option, particularly with the Patriots tied to a number of options in the '25 Draft class.

Free-agent WR Stefon Diggs reached agreement on a three-year, $69 million deal including $26 million guaranteed with the New England Patriots.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker

This is an incredible injection of talent to what is arguably the worst WR room in the NFL. Diggs should be immediately considered somewhere in the WR3 range, with (hopefully) more weapons for Drake Maye coming in the next month.

Jerod Mayo says Kendrick Bourne is expected to play this weekend.

Related Players: Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk, K.J. Osborn

Kendrick Bourne didn't log a snap in the Patriots' 19-3 Week 10 win, as there seems to be a riff between the WR and the coaching staff, or at the very least, he's been pushed all the way down the depth chart. We should continue to see some of the younger guys earn more playing time as the season closes down, but none of them are fantasy priorities until one emerges in the clouded target share.

Ja’Lynn Polk likely will be one of the starting wide receivers when Week 1 arrives, at least until Kendrick Bourne returns from injury. Polk’s training camp hasn’t been spectacular or filled with other-worldly catches, but he has been consistent and done enough for the quarterbacks to trust him.

Demario Douglas probably has been the best wide receiver, but Polk isn’t far behind. He might start behind K.J. Osborn on the depth chart, but optimism is high around the second-round pick out of Washington.

Related players: Javon Baker

While optimism is high around Polk, it sounds like even if he doesn't get a starting job out of the gate, it should only be a matter of time. Meanwhile, fourth round pick Baker started strong, but looks to be further down the depth chart after a tough stretch, according to the rest of the story. Baker is dealing with drops in practice and running with the fourth-string QB at times. The story said he'll likely start as the team's WR4 or WR5.

Someone in the set of wideouts has to emerge as an eventual No. 1. Right now, rookie Ja’Lynn Polk has as good a shot as anyone.

Related players: Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, Javon Baker, K.J. Osborn, Kayshon Boutte

For what it's worth, we've already reflected this on our fantasy depth charts listing Polk as the top option. Robinson thinks Polk could step in and get a ton of targets immediately. In the preseason opener, Polk played limited snaps but caught three balls for 14 yards. Robinson expects those numbers to grow. Polk could be worth targeting in the later rounds of drafts given his very late ADP.

It is too early to know which direction it will head, but as the Patriots are currently on break before their first training camp practice July 24, one thing can be decisively stated about Polk's initial work: His toughness and relentless mentality reflected well on the culture Wolf and Mayo hope to create.

Related Players: DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Kendrick Bourne, Javon Baker

Reiss would later remark that Osborn, Douglas, and Polk could be the team's "top three targets if everyone is healthy." It's an interesting group to target, considering we have no way of knowing exactly how things will shape out. Douglas and Polk make for great late-round dart throws.

Patriots informed WR DeVante Parker that they are releasing him Wednesday and he now has been given permission to talk to other teams.

Related Players: JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kendrick Bourne, Pop Douglas, Tyquan Thornton

New England has a lot of work to do to make this WR room approachable from a fantasy standpoint, and this will go a little bit of the way to clearing room for new pieces. Expect the Patriots to target at least one pass-catcher in the NFL Draft.

Follow-up tests Monday revealed that New England Patriots leading receiver Kendrick Bourne tore his right ACL, according to a source.

Related players: DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte

The injury ends Bourne's seventh season in the NFL, which was on pace to be his best, as he faces a recovery that a source estimates in the six- to eight-month range. Bourne was injured on the first play of the fourth quarter Sunday. It's a big hit to the Pats offense as Bourne had a TD in each of the last two games and before that had a line of 10-89-0 in Week 6.

Patriots WRs JuJu Smith-Schuster and Demario Douglas and OL Riley Reiff and Cole Strange are all out for Sunday's game vs. Las Vegas.

Related Players: DeVante Parker, Kendrick Bourne, Tyquan Thornton

The Patriots offense is hardly in a position to be missing any of their players, but it's not as if they're getting much out of Juju anyways (14-86 on 24 targets). Thornton should get some extra run in Week 6, but none of the WRs should be taken seriously in fantasy until we see some sort of rebound.

Multiple team sources believe Smith-Schuster is not presently among the team’s five most effective pass-catchers. According to those same sources, his place in the offense has been complicated by a variety of factors. His knee, flatly, is not 100%. Asked whether Smith-Schuster was healthy enough to finish Sunday’s game, Pats coach Bill Belichick dodged the question in his Wednesday morning press conference.

Related Players: Demario Douglas, Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte

It's been a long time since we've been able to trust a Patriots receiver to deliver consistently, and some thought that maybe Smith-Schuster could finally be that answer. Things aren't looking great right now. Three different options took more slot snaps than the former Chief, including both tight ends, Hunter Henry and Mike Gesicki. Smith-Schuster can be safely dropped in most leagues.