New England Patriots

New England Patriots rookie wide receivers Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker figure to play significant roles in their rookie seasons given the weak group of veteran pass-catchers on the roster. Evan Lazar of Patriots.com reports that the rookie duo has been "as advertised" to start training camp. "Polk has been featured with other regulars in the Patriots offense as a reliable underneath target," Lazar wrote. "As for Baker, he had a string of days with highlight-reel grabs. If all goes according to plan, the Patriots would have a big play (Baker) and possession (Polk) receiver, and that's how it's looked in practice." Polk was selected in the early second round of April's draft, which will likely give him a leg up against Baker, who was taken in Round 4. That said, the Patriots have a difficult target pecking order to navigate, and the passing offense will likely have limited upside under quarterbacks Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye. The future sounds bright for the rookie teammates, but both are likely stronger dynasty league options than 2024 fantasy studs.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee) is making good progress in his recovery, returning to practice while still on the PUP list. Bourne tore his right ACL in the Patriots' loss to the Dolphins on October 29, 2023. Given that he is just under nine months post-injury, the expectation was that he wouldn't be ready for the start of training camp. Although he returned to the field in uniform for the first time this offseason, he participated without a helmet or shoulder pads. Before his injury, Bourne was the team's leading wide receiver and appeared to be having his best season yet. However, New England's wide receiver position is much more competitive this year. With Demario Douglas looking to step up, JuJu Smith-Schuster still on the roster, K.J. Osborn added via free agency, and rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker joining through the draft, the Patriots have a deep pool of wideout options. Bourne must prove his health and earn his place in the passing game again.

New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (undisclosed) debuted at training camp on Sunday after passing his physical, and he was activated from the active/PUP list. The Patriots had previously placed Jennings on the PUP list, raising concerns about his chances of making the team. Jennings, 23, joined the Patriots as an undrafted free agent following a rookie minicamp tryout. A Florida A&M alum, Jennings played 45 college games and accumulated 381 carries for 1,754 yards and 24 touchdowns. Antonio Gibson (undisclosed) also returned to camp on Sunday, marking the first time this preseason that all of New England's running backs are healthy. With Jennings and Gibson back, the Patriots running back group now includes six players: starter Rhamondre Stevenson, Kevin Harris, JaMycal Hasty, and Deshaun Fenwick. Jennings aims to secure a roster spot behind Stevenson and Gibson, giving him a slim to none chance of being fantasy-relevant anytime soon.

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (undisclosed), who opened training camp on the Non-Football Injured list with an undisclosed ailment, was at practice on Sunday and upped his level of participation. It means that Gibson has been cleared from the NFI list, and he'll now look to highlight his pass-catching ability as he tries to earn a role in the backfield in his first year with the Patriots. Rhamondre Stevenson is the clear lead back in New England heading into the 2024 campaign, but the 26-year-old Gibson should be his primary complement in the backfield, mainly in third-down situations. The Pats figure to rely heavily on their RBs, whether it's Jacoby Brissett or rookie Drake Maye under center, making Gibson worth a late-round flier in deeper PPR fantasy leagues.

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (hand) is dealing with a hand injury that has limited him the last couple of days in training camp practices. Head coach Jerod Mayo called Douglas day-to-day on Friday. Douglas' injury is minor, but he's missing valuable repetitions as he looks to continue to impress in a Patriots receiving corps that is looking for players to step up in 2024. The 23-year-old second-year wideout was impressive in offseason workouts in the spring after going for 49 catches, 561 yards and no touchdowns in his rookie campaign in 2023 after he was taken in the sixth round out of Liberty. Douglas is one to watch entering his second year in the league, but with competition from rookies Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker in an offense led by quarterback Jacoby Brissett, he's probably going to go undrafted in standard 12-team leagues.