New England Patriots

New England Patriots rookie tight end Jaheim Bell suddenly found himself at the top of the depth chart early this week with Hunter Henry (lower body) and Austin Hooper (undisclosed) held out of practice and Mitchell Wilcox (calf) leaving practice early with his injury. Bell has taken a lot of reps and caught touchdowns from three different quarterbacks as he is making the most of the opportunity on the field with several tight ends ahead of him out for recent practice sessions. While Bell should not be drafted in fantasy football for 2024, he could be somebody to keep an eye on if injuries continue to strike the tight end room. The 23-year-old from Florida State should get plenty of work in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Washington Commanders on Sunday night.

New England Patriots rookie wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk has earned a starting job in the team's crowded WR room. Polk has been a regular contributor in the Patriots' top offensive unit this week. The 22-year-old second-round rookie out of Washington looks to offer New England some help in the receiving corps after the club fielded a historically poor offense in 2023, and his fantasy upside in Year 1 is likely to remain limited largely due to the uncertainty at quarterback. Although Polk doesn't grade out as an overly talented athlete based on workout metrics, and his college production was overshadowed by rookie first-rounder and former teammate Rome Odunze, he could end up seeing a decent amount of volume in 2024 as a WR5/6 fantasy flier at the end of drafts this summer.

New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo has yet to decide on his starting quarterback for Week 1, stating, "When I know, I'll let you know." The competition remains tight between rookie first-round pick Drake Maye and veteran Jacoby Brissett. Brissett, who has been taking most of the first-team reps in training camp, brings experience with 48 career starts across five teams in his eight-season career. Meanwhile, Maye, the third overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, has steadily improved. He led the Patriots' offense to 10 points, including a rushing touchdown, during 25 snaps against the Philadelphia Eagles in preseason action. Mayo has praised Maye's commitment and progress since joining the team. The upcoming preseason finale against the Commanders will be crucial for the coaching staff to evaluate the quarterbacks in a game-like scenario. Regardless of who secures the starting role, neither quarterback is expected to have a significant fantasy impact.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson looks leaner and quicker this year, and with a new contract signed, he's emerged as a confident leader for head coach Jerod Mayo's new program. Stevenson looked sluggish at times in New England's paltry offense a year ago, rushing for a pedestrian 4.0 yards per carry over 156 attempts, so fantasy managers are hoping the drop in his weight gets him back up closer to the 5.0 YPC he put up across 210 carries back in 2022. The 26-year-old power back remains a volume-dependent RB2 option for 2024 in what is a rebuilding Patriots offense, and after catching 38 passes in 12 appearances last season, Stevenson's managers are hoping that receiving back Antonio Gibson doesn't take away too many targets out of the backfield this fall.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry (undisclosed) didn't play in the team's second preseason contest against the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday and he remained out of practice as well. Head coach Jerod Mayo was asked if there was any cause for concern for a banged-up tight end room and he said, "I would say these aren't extended recoveries for these guys. They'll be ready to go relatively early in the season." Henry, along with backups Austin Hooper (undisclosed) and Mitchell Wilcox (calf) are all listed as questionable right now. In terms of fantasy relevance, Henry has the most potential out of this group, so if he's ready by the beginning of the season, he should serve as a solid streaming option at tight end.