Antonio Brown’s short yet highly public stint as a member of the New England Patriots came to a screeching end on Friday. A Patriots spokesperson released this statement shortly after the news of Brown’s release broke.
“The New England Patriots are releasing Antonio Brown. We appreciate the hard work of many people over the past 11 days, but we feel that it is best to move in a different direction at this time.”
Brown was quickly and efficiently used during his lone showing as a Patriot. With Brown now looking for work, does this mean Josh Gordon will catapult back into fantasy football stardom? We discuss.
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Josh Gordon Fantasy Outlook vs. New York Jets
Patriots WR Josh Gordon
Josh Gordon reclaimed the role of biggest headline-grabbing receiver on the New England Patriots Roster. However, Gordon has been a perfect employee since being reinstated by the NFL in August.
On the football field, Gordon has flashed his big-play potential most recently as Week 1 when he scored a receiving touchdown, breaking multiple tacklers on his way to pay dirt.
Gordon’s fantasy value was bound to take a hit with the arrival of Brown, however with Brown’s release Gordon reclaims his role as the Patriots’ most lethal outside receiver.
Gordon ranks second on the team in targets and actually outpaced slot maven Julian Edelman in that category in Week 2. In fact, Gordon has averaged nearly six targets per game since arriving in New England. Certainly a respectable number but one that is bound to go up, likely starting this week.
New York Jets Struggle Mightily Against Big Play Receivers
The New York Jets were the second-worst ranked fantasy defense against opposing wide receivers a season ago. This year’s Jets secondary has not fared much better against the pass. The Jets have forfeited an average of 6+ receptions for 142 receiving yards, 22.2 ypr and 1 touchdown to the likes of Odell Beckham Jr. and John Brown. Two players that resemble Gordon’s abilities more than any other pass catcher on the Patriots offense. Evident by the fact that Gordon has averaged at least 17.5 ypr in three of his five NFL seasons and is currently averaging 18.4 through two games this season.
Should You Start or Sit Josh Gordon in Week 3?
Yes, you should absolutely start Josh Gordon in Week 3. Also, if you don’t have Gordon on your roster, you should look to make a move for him. While you must be careful to not overpay, Gordon has the capabilities to win leagues this season.
Gordon has WR2 written all over him heading into Week 3. However, if we know anything about the Patriots, we know that they like to make statements. Look for the Pats to heavily involve Gordon into the offense to prove that they are just fine without Antonio Brown. Gordon could end up putting up WR1 fantasy numbers on Sunday.
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Josh Gordon Fantasy: Start-Sit Outlook After Antonio Brown Release