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.

WR/PR Pop Douglas has cleared concussion protocol, per Bill Belichick.

Barring a setback in Friday’s practice, the path is clear for Douglas’ return after missing the last two games.

Related Players: Tyquan Thornton, DeVante Parker

The Patriots had an offensive explosion in Week 14, scoring 21 points. Which is a funny sentence to type in 2023. Douglas could very well return to the WR1 role in New England, but that only makes him a FLEX option in deep leagues.

Patriots ruled out for Thursday night's game vs. the Steelers: RB Rhamondre Stevenson, WR Demario Douglas, WR Kayshon Boutte and OL Riley Reiff.

Related Players: Ezekiel Elliott, JaMycal Hasty, DeVante Parker, Tyquan Thornton, JuJu Smith-Schuster

Phew. An offense that needs all the help/luck they can get is dug even deeper with the absence of some key pieces. Ezekiel Elliott should get a huge percentage of the running back work, but even that is likely to keep him in the low RB2 considerations.

Starting any Patriots wide receivers should be a stay-away at this point, though Hunter Henry can be considered a de facto TE streamer with the team rolling out an extreme lack of consistent options.

WR Demario Douglas did enter concussion protocol, per source. He and RB/WR Ty Montgomery were the only players missing at Patriots practice.

Related Players: DeVante Parker, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Tyquan Thornton

Douglas was trending towards being the only bright spot on the Patriots offense, but it's clear that they're not meant to have nice things in the 2023 season. Douglas has 133 yards and 12 catches on 18 targets over the last two weeks, but he may have a hard time suiting up in Week 13. Parker is the strongest bet to receive a higher target share if he misses, but New England is currently rotating three quarterbacks in at practice, hinting towards more bad game script.

Jalen Reagor, rookie Demario Douglas and JuJu Smith-Schuster are now the top three on the depth chart, with 2022 second-round pick Tyquan Thornton (a healthy scratch Sunday) and 2023 sixth-rounder Kayshon Boutte (inactive since the season opener) next in line.

The 5-8, 192-pound Douglas is a quick slot receiver whose playing time has spiked the past two weeks (78 of 113 snaps).

It's not a great WR group, but, as they say, someone needs to catch the ball. The story said Reagor has drawn some praise, but we've all been down that road before. If he's on your wire, Douglas could be someone to stash away at this point, especially with his increased playing time recently. The story went on to say Douglas is often sent in motion before the snap, making him a threat as a runner with the possibility of taking a handoff, and has been targeted 13 times the past two weeks.