A.J. Brown Fantasy Stats

Entering his first season with the team in 2026, New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown looks like the clear focal point of his team's passing game. Even in a tumultuous 2025 season with the Philadelphia Eagles, in which he publicly agitated for more targets and a larger role, Brown recorded 78 catches for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns across 15 games. With the Patriots, Brown should be rejuvenated and could have a chance to get back to his peak form, when he recorded 2,952 receiving yards and 18 touchdowns across two seasons with the Eagles in 2022 and 2023. Brown's profile carries some risk for fantasy managers, as he's entering his age-29 season and has missed six games over the past two years due to knee and hamstring injuries. Still, Brown is in a strong position in New England to recapture his top-12 fantasy WR status.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown has looked comfortable in his new offense from the start. Brown still caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games with Philadelphia last season, but his move to New England gave him a chance to pair with Drake Maye after a frustrating year in the Eagles' passing game. That connection showed up throughout camp. Brown beat Christian Gonzalez on a double move for a long touchdown on July 31, then got behind the defense again for another would-be score on Aug. 17. Two days later, he was one of New England's standouts during a joint practice with Philadelphia as Maye kept finding him downfield. The Patriots rested Brown in all three preseason games, so there was no reason to risk the new No. 1 receiver in exhibition action. RotoBaller has him at WR9 in its latest half-PPR rankings. Brown was already a proven fantasy option, but a strong first summer with Maye has pushed his WR1 ceiling back into focus.

According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown had his best practice of camp Wednesday, catching all seven of his targets against his former Philadelphia Eagles teammates, according to Mark Daniels. Brown got going early with a slant against Riq Woolen, then kept finding openings throughout the two-hour joint session. He also beat Quinyon Mitchell during 11-on-11 work and came down with a 30-yard grab over Woolen with Drake Maye under pressure. Seven looks, seven catches. That was his busiest day since arriving in New England. Brown said afterward that he is now 100% comfortable in the Patriots offense after putting himself at about 90% earlier in camp. He caught 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games for Philadelphia last season before New England traded for him in June. The Patriots brought Brown in to give Maye a proven top target. He looked every bit like one against his old team Wednesday.

The New England Patriots sent a first- and fifth-round pick to acquire three-time Pro Bowl wide receiver A.J. Brown from the Philadelphia Eagles in early May, and as he continues to acclimate to his new surroundings, he has gotten better and better throughout the summer, impressing team reporter Paul Perillo with the suddenness of his routes. During Saturday's practice, he separated quickly during goal-line work for what looked to be an easy score, and Perillo noted that he has "been nearly unstoppable running slants from various positions on the field." With free agent acquisition Romeo Doubs also coming on of late, expectations continue to rise for the Patriots' passing offense, but as the regular season edges closer, there's been little doubt about who Drake Maye's go-to receiver will be in 2026, and Brown is RotoBaller's WR9.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown was a top target during the team's joint practice with the Indianapolis Colts. Brown remained the top option in team drills, finding the ball early and often, and led the team with five receptions, including one that would've been a touchdown. The former Tennessee Titans and Philadelphia Eagles wideout was traded to the AFC Champions in early June and initially struggled to connect with quarterback Drake Maye. Now, both appear to be on the same page, and Brown looks poised for a massive year in New England. The seven-year wideout has had six 1,000-yard seasons and might have his best quarterback yet in Maye, while Maye has yet to play with a talent like Brown. This connection could break fantasy in 2026, and fantasy managers should look to buy into this duo.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown (thumb) stayed on the field after dislocating his left thumb during Monday's practice, according to Doug Kyed. The injury happened during a one-on-one rep against Christian Gonzalez. Brown put the thumb back in place, was checked by the medical staff, and returned with a brace. He remained a full participant and finished with four catches, including three during 11-on-11 work. Brown joined New England in a June trade after catching 78 passes for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games for Philadelphia last season. His ability to finish practice is reassuring, but the injury still bears watching because it could affect his comfort catching the ball over the next few days. For now, there is no indication that Brown is facing an extended absence, and his fantasy outlook remains unchanged unless the thumb becomes more troublesome.

New England Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown and quarterback Drake Maye struggled to get their connection going in the early days of training camp, with Maye going 4-for-9 with an interception when targeting Brown. However, in a padded practice on Thursday, the two started to turn things around, with Maye matching that production and hitting Brown four of five times, according to Mark Daniels of MassLive.com. One of Brown's catches came against star cornerback Christian Gonzalez, with another one coming against Charles Woods for a touchdown. Thursday's practice could be a sign of things to come for Brown and Maye as they begin to build their chemistry for the 2026 regular season. The Patriots suddenly have a pretty crowded WR room with Romeo Doubs, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins, DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism, but after the Pats sent the Philadelphia Eagles a first-rounder, Brown should be the unquestioned alpha WR1 in New England. Brown showed signs of decline in 2025 in Philly's stagnant offense, averaging a career-low 12.9 yards per catch, but he also had his sixth 1,000-yard campaign. In what should be a more explosive Patriots' passing game, Brown should be considered a low-end WR1, at worst.

It has been a slow start in terms of the connection between New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and new wide receiver A.J. Brown in three-plus days of training camp, according to Andrew Callahan of the Boston Herald. Maye is 1-for-7 with an interception when targeting Brown in team drills, and his only completion was a wide-open quick out. So far, the two are far off on deeper routes. It's not what Patriots fans want to hear, but it's still very early in camp, and the two should smooth things out, especially deep down the field, which was a specialty for Maye in 2025. The Patriots gave the Philadelphia Eagles a first-round pick for the 29-year-old Brown this offseason to become their new No. 1 pass-catcher. The three-time Pro Bowler had his sixth 1,000-yard campaign in 2025 in his final year in Philly, but he also averaged a career-low 12.9 yards per catch in 15 regular-season starts. Fantasy managers are expecting Brown's ceiling to be higher in a more explosive offense this year. In early drafts, Brown is being taken as a low-end WR1 in his new home, where he should be heavily targeted by Maye.

New England Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel pushed back Monday on reports about wide receiver A.J. Brown's knee, saying the team is "very confident" in where Brown stands physically, according to Doug Kyed. Vrabel said Brown has done everything asked of him through the first two training camp practices and has made a strong start while acclimating to his new team. Brown will not participate in every activity, but Vrabel indicated that those decisions will be made by the coaching and medical staffs, as New England has done with other veterans during camp. The Patriots were aware of wear and tear in Brown's right knee before acquiring him from Philadelphia, and executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf said the team's medical staff approved the trade. Brown also passed his physical before joining the Patriots for offseason practices. The 29-year-old caught 78 of 121 targets for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games last season, extending his streak to four consecutive 1,000-yard campaigns. Vrabel's comments are encouraging for Brown's 2026 fantasy outlook, though fantasy managers should expect New England to manage his practice workload when needed.