Kendrick Bourne, K.J. Osborn Suiting Up Against Texans
New England Patriots wide receivers Kendrick Bourne (knee) and K.J. Osborn (shoulder) are active for Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Both players were listed as questionable after being limited in practice all week long. Bourne made his season debut last weekend, turning his lone target into a six-yard catch. He played just 27 percent of the offensive snaps, but that could have been a product of him playing in his first game of the year. He's likely headed for extra snaps in Week 6. Meanwhile, Osborn has seen his workload scaled back with the emergence of rookie Ja'Lynn Polk. He caught one pass on five targets when last active in Week 4. Even with Drake Maye taking over as the Patriots' quarterback, neither Bourne nor Osborn can be trusted in fantasy football given their respective roles behind Polk and Demario Douglas.
New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn (shoulder) is officially inactive for Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins. He had been listed as questionable but was trending in the wrong direction after missing Friday's practice. The 27-year-old has been uninspiring this season, catching just five of 13 targets for 31 yards through four games. He has been outproduced by Demario Douglas and Ja'Lynn Polk, and now he could also lose opportunities to veteran Kendrick Bourne, who was activated from the PUP list this weekend. Between his injury, limited role, and the Patriots' struggling offense, fantasy managers should leave Osborn on waivers in all leagues.
New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn caught one of two targets for seven yards during the team's 23-20 overtime loss against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Osborn was one of just two Patriots wide receivers who were targeted in the contest. It has become evident that New England will try to win games by running the ball with Rhamondre Stevenson, opting to pass only when absolutely necessary. As a result, Osborn is avoidable in most fantasy leagues despite his starting role in the Patriots' offense. He remains off the fantasy radar heading into Thursday Night Football against the New York Jets.
New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn started on offense and led the team's receivers in snaps, targets, and catches last Sunday, but he's still off the fantasy radar heading into Week 2 against the Seattle Seahawks. Last week, the Patriots emphasized a reliance on their defense and rushing attack to keep them competitive, and that shouldn't change against Seattle. Therefore, with reduced volume in the passing game, Osborn might not get enough looks to put him even near the fantasy radar. For the time being, it's tough to trust any Patriots receiver in fantasy football, including Osborn.
K.J. Osborn Is Jacoby Brissett's Favorite Target Sunday
New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn led the team with three receptions on six targets during Week 1 versus the Cincinnati Bengals. He finished the game with a total of 21 receiving yards. The former Viking operated as the Patriots' No. 2 receiver, putting to bed any speculation that rookie Ja'Lynn Polk may open the year in that role. Even with solid volume, Osborn will be tough to trust going forward. We don't have enough confidence in this run-heavy Patriots offense yet, meaning Osborn can't be depended on for consistent production going forward.
New England Patriots wide receiver K.J. Osborn will make his team debut against the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday afternoon. The veteran pass-catcher was signed away from the Minnesota Vikings this offseason and should provide quarterback Jacoby Brissett with an experienced presence downfield. Osborn is known for his big-play potential, but he's capable of producing on shorter passes, too. As of now, his primary competition for targets is rookie Ja'Lynn Polk, as the two were vying for the No. 2 role as the summer wound down. It's still unclear which of the two will start alongside Demario Douglas on Sunday, but it's a moot point for fantasy managers given that neither is worth starting in redraft leagues. Douglas, Rhamondre Stevenson, and Hunter Henry are the only Patriots that warrant even some consideration in most fantasy leagues.
K.J. Osborn An Early Leader Among Patriots Receivers
Former Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn, who is heading into his fifth NFL season in 2024, has positioned himself as an early leader among New England Patriots receivers this offseason. Osborn will need to build on his offseason progress in training camp this summer, but he was usually first through drills during organized team activities and mandatory minicamp. ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss believes that Osborn, slot receiver Demario Douglas and rookie second-rounder Ja'Lynn Polk could easily be the team's top three targets to open the year if everyone is healthy. And Kendrick Bourne (knee) is expected to be healthy as he returns from a torn ACL and should be part of the mix as well. The 27-year-old Osborn should be used as more of a traditional receiver in New England, but he still has a ways to go to become fantasy relevant in standard 12-team redraft leagues.
The New England Patriots have agreed to terms on a deal with wide receiver K.J. Osborn on Sunday. The two sides have agreed on a one-year deal for the upcoming 2024 campaign. The former fifth-round pick has made a name for himself over the last few seasons with the Minnesota Vikings. Most recently, Osborn finished with 48 receptions for 540 yards and three touchdowns during the 2023 season. He has been a viable option to the Vikings offense and should give a boost to the Pats receiver room. He'll be stuck competing for snaps with Kendrick Bourne, JuJu Smith-Schuster, and Demario Douglas this upcoming season.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn was quiet in the final game of the regular season in Sunday's 30-20 loss to the Detroit Lions, catching just two passes for nine yards on his four targets. It was an improvement over his zero-target game in Week 17, but it was still a weak performance for the 26-year-old to wrap up the season. It was also a step back from his two previous campaigns, as he finished with 48 catches on 75 targets for only 540 yards and three touchdowns in 16 games played. We knew Osborn was going to be on the backburner in 2023 when the Vikings took Jordan Addison in the first round to pair with Justin Jefferson as a lethal 1-2 punch at wideout. Osborn will enter free agency in March, and his 2024 fantasy value will be determined by where he lands.
Minnesota Vikings wide receiver K.J. Osborn was not targeted at all in the 33-10 loss on Sunday night against the division-rival Green Bay Packers. Osborn played 62 percent of the offensive snaps but really had no chance in a game in which the Packers defense pretty much completely shut down Minnesota's offense. It was especially disappointing after Osborn had five catches on seven targets for 95 yards and his third touchdown of the year in last week's loss to the Detroit Lions. But with rookie first-rounder Jordan Addison (ankle) playing after getting injured in Week 16, Osborn disappeared. The 26-year-old cannot be trusted in starting fantasy lineups in the Week 18 regular season finale in a rematch against the Lions in Detroit.
