#_author:Chris Morgan

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Hoyer vs. Kaepernick: Stop the argument before it begins

The signing of Brian Hoyer to return as the backup quarterback in New England after the Jimmy Garoppolo trade could very well be a contentious one after all.

Today it seems that any time a quarterback not named Colin Kaepernick raises a racial issue in the football community, with countless people accusing the entire organization of being racists and bigots just because they didn’t sign Kaepernick.

In a lot of those cases, one can make the legitimate argument that Kaepernick is a better player than the one signed ahead of him, but the case with Hoyer is not one of them.

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Before I go further, let me say that it is a clear travesty that Kaepernick has not been signed yet. So many organizations (primarily the Browns and Jaguars) are struggling mightily at the quarterback position, and Kaepernick would be an immediate upgrade. The fact that these teams haven’t, at least reportedly, reached out to Kaepernick is mind-boggling. He should’ve been signed long ago.

This time, however, the signing of Hoyer made more sense for the Patriots. Admittedly, when news of the Garoppolo trade first broke, my immediate reaction was to think that Kaepernick wouldn’t be a bad addition to be the new backup to Tom Brady. That was before Hoyer became available though.

Statistically, the argument can be made that Kaepernick is a better quarterback than Hoyer. As a starter, Hoyer owns a career record of 16-21, with 47 touchdowns and 29 interceptions. Kaepernick, on the other hand, is 28-39 with 72 touchdowns and 30 interceptions. Kaepernick has also started, and nearly won, a Super Bowl in his career.

From a pure statistical standpoint, Kaepernick is likely the better player. It’s the non-statistical side of things that sets Hoyer apart for the Patriots.

In Hoyer, the Patriots get someone who already knows the system. He spent the first three years of his career in New England as the backup before eventually losing the job to Ryan Mallett. He appeared in 13 games as a Patriot, but more importantly learned from Brady.

Hoyer comes in with a pretty firm grasp on the playbook, and plays a similar style to Brady, whereas the Patriots don’t get those things from Kaepernick. Due to the timing of the move, Hoyer just makes more sense because of this.

Teams don’t typically bring in backup quarterbacks at the trade deadline that have no clue how to run their system. Had this been during the offseason or the draft, then Kaepernick would have made much more sense. That way he’d time to learn the playbook and get some game action in the preseason before being just one play away from being “the guy” on any given Sunday.

I am hopeful that Kaepernick signs soon. He deserves a chance, and honestly, the reasoning behind teams staying away from him is just a little ridiculous if you ask me. This just wasn’t the team for him given the circumstances.

– Chris Morgan, is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Over/Under: Expect Pats/Bucs to be a high scoring affair

It was another frustrating day for Patriots fans Sunday, with New England failing to win at home again. This time the Carolina Panthers connected on a game-winning field goal to down the Super Bowl Champions, 33-30, dropping the Patriots to 2-2 on the year.

Now the team heads out on the road on a short week, facing off with Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Thursday night game to kick off week five.

Here’s what to expect this week.

AROUND COVER32 ​

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Sixty total points

This game will most likely go to another shootout, so expect both teams to score in the 30s. The Patriots have the second-best offense in the NFL right now, averaging 32.3 points-per-game, just behind the surprise team out west, the Los Angeles Rams (who would’ve thought that would happen by the way?!). New England does lead the league in total yards-per-game and passing yards-per-game though, averaging 328.3 passing yards and 423.8 total yards.

The Tampa Bay offense may only average just under 24 points-per-game, but the big factor here is New England’s defense. The Patriots currently have the worst statistical defense in the league, surrendering 32 points-per-game. To put that into perspective, the best defense currently, the Denver Broncos’, gives up only 18.5 a game.

Patriots’ running game will struggle

This point stems from more than just the Patriots utilizing a high-powered passing attack. The Buccaneers have a legitimately good run defense, only surrendering 78 rushing yards-per-game. No running back has been able to pass the century mark against Tampa Bay, and the only one that has even gotten close is the now injured Minnesota Vikings rookie Dalvin Cook.

The Patriots do average 95.5 rushing yards a game as a team, so it’s not like they completely abandon the run, but that’s still in the bottom half of the league. 20th to be exact.

Brandin Cooks FINALLY scores against Tampa Bay

Believe it or not, Cooks has yet to score a touchdown against the Buccaneers in his entire NFL career. That’s incredibly surprising for such a big-play receiver. I think he finally reaches pay-dirt this time around. He’s scored twice for the Patriots this year, both coming in one game, so he’s due for a score on multiple fronts here.

Look for Tampa Bay to put as much coverage as possible toward Rob Gronkowski, which should free up some room for Cooks.

– Chris Morgan is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Over/Under: Brady, offense set for another big week

The Patriots return to action in week four after a thrilling last-minute win over Houston in Foxboro. This week they stay home for a second straight week to face off against Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers.

After what happened the last time these two met in 2013, expect some more fireworks this week Patriots fans.

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Brady goes off for third straight week

Brady has been on a tear the past two weeks, that’s no surprise. This week he gets a tough test against one of the top defenses in the league, but look for him to have a nice day again. The one true weak point in the Panthers’ defense is the secondary. They only allowed 318 total passing yards through the first two games, but those two games were against Brian Hoyer and Tyrod Taylor.

When matched against a truly elite quarterback in Drew Brees in week three, Carolina was torn up, giving up 220 yards passing and three touchdowns. The key was that Brees was given good protection, and was able to use the threat of the running game to open up some lanes.

Expect New England to do the same. The front seven in Carolina is stout, but just the threat of a running game from Mike Gillislee should keep the linebackers honest enough. If the offensive line holds up this week, and gives Brady plenty of time in the pocket, then he’ll be able to find his targets.

Christian McCaffrey has big day

It’s tough to admit as a fan, but McCaffrey is likely going to give the Patriots fits. He’s a very similar back to the Chiefs’ Kareem Hunt, who scorched New England for 246 total yards in week one. McCaffery is fast, runs hard, and is a great receiver coming out of the backfield. He’s currently the Panthers’ leading receiver as a matter of fact. This week will be a true test to see if the Patriots learned from their week one beat down.

Luke Keuchly “might get away with one”

This one is more for fun, taking a quick jab at the Carolina linebacker’s statement about the final play in the 2013 game where he got away with a penalty on a potential game-winning touchdown. Seeing as Keuchly could very likely draw the duty of guarding Gronkowski on Sunday, don’t be surprised to see some light humor between the two every time there’s contact down the field.

– Chris Morgan, is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Over/Under: Patriots look to keep the momentum going

We’ve reached week three of the NFL season, and the New England Patriots return home to Gillette Stadium to host the Houston Texans looking to move to 2-1 on the year. Here’s what to expect from the game this week.

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Tom Brady throws for 450 again

Brady looked fantastic against the New Orleans Saints in Week Two, shattering my expectations of a 350-yard passing performance. He kicked ‘Father Time’ back in the teeth down in the bayou, and looks to do the same this week.

The Texans’ secondary has been decimated by injuries, specifically at the cornerback position. Veteran Jonathan Joseph is less than 100 percent and the team recently lost Kevin Johnson for four to six weeks with a sprained MCL. That forces slot corner Kareem Jackson into a heavy role on the outside. He played well in that spot against the Bengals, but this Patriots team is a whole new problem with Brady at the helm.

Expect Brady to be throwing the ball early and often, trying to take advantage of the dinged up Houston secondary and build an early lead. That brings me to my second expectation.

Rob Gronkowski scores once, racks up 100 receiving yards

Speaking of that injured Bengals secondary, we very well could see Gronkowski put up a big day against Houston. He looked to be back in form until a groin injury against the Saints, putting up 116 yards and a score while reeling in six of his nine targets.

The Texans are inevitably going to have to divert one of their safeties to cover over the top with Brandin Cooks on the field, and Chris Hogan is quickly becoming a player teams should look to double-team on the outside. Simply put, there aren’t enough good defensive backs to go around.

This should free up Gronk in the middle of the field, much like his first two career matchups against Houston. In three career games against the Texans, Gronkowski has averaged 156 yards receiving, including the 2016 game where he was held without a reception on just one target.

Defense holds Texans under 250 yards

This is a bit of a bolder prediction, but this Houston offense through two games is only averaging 275 total yards per game. Given Bill Belichick’s history against rookie quarterbacks, it’s easy to think that Deshaun Watson will struggle.

The Patriots’ defense looked much better against the Saints on the road and should be fired up to be back at home looking for the first win in Gillette this year. Especially if Dont’a Hightower plays, which is quite possible at this point.

– Chris Morgan is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Over/Under: Brady, Patriots right the ship against New Orleans

The New England Patriots head into the second week of the 2017 season licking their wounds from a week one thrashing at the hands of the Kansas City Chiefs. However, things look much better going into their matchup with the New Orleans Saints on Sunday.

After seeing the offense sputter in the second half against the Chiefs, Tom Brady and the group look to have a much better week. It helps that they have a great matchup on their hands. Here’s what to expect from the team with this week’s Over/Under.

Brady goes for 350 yards and four touchdowns

Brady was held in check for the most part against the Chiefs, only totaling 267 yards passing and no touchdowns. Look for that to change drastically this week.

The Saints defense allowed Minnesota Vikings’ quarterback Sam Bradford to throw for 346 yards and three scores in their week one matchup. It’s no secret that Brady is a far superior quarterback, and if he gets the protection he did in the first half against Kansas City, he’ll go off for a huge day.

Factor in another week to get comfortable with Brandin Cooks as a receiver, and no big-time safety to take Rob Gronkowski out of the mix, the trio of Brady, Cooks, and Gronkowski could be due for some big numbers.

Mike Gillislee gets his first 100-yard rushing game as a Patriot

Fantasy owners like me were absolutely thrilled with Gillislee’s production against the Chiefs. His three rushing touchdowns made him a high-scorer at the running back position in week one, but as for his total yardage? Not so much.

Don’t expect the former Buffalo Bill to see the endzone that many times this week, but do expect him to get more carries and better yardage.

Gillislee totaled 45 yards rushing against the Chiefs on 15 carries, and was not targeted in the passing game. Despite playing the most snaps out of the running back group, just ahead of James White.

Vikings rookie running back Dalvin Cook, on the other hand, erupted for 127 yards rushing on 27 touches against the Saints as the main back for the Minnesota offense, ahead of free agent pickup Lartavius Murray. Cook and Gillislee play a pretty similar style in the rushing game, so expect offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels to give Gillislee a heavier load this week.

If the offense works out that way, Gillislee will gain a decent amount of yards, enough to put him over the century mark for the game. Just don’t expect the same touchdown numbers with the Patriots’ passing game being a huge deep threat this week.

– Chris Morgan, is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

AROUND COVER32

Grading the Broncos’ Week 1 performance

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What should the Raiders keep doing (and stop doing) in Week 2?

10 biggest surprises to come out of Week 1

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After Derek Rivers injury, where do the Patriots look?

The New England Patriots suddenly have a need on the defensive front. Rookie defensive end/outside linebacker Derek Rivers will miss his entire rookie season after tearing his ACL in practice.

The third round pick from Youngstown State was projected to take a rotational role in the front seven, especially after Rob Ninkovich announced his retirement. Now the Patriots will have to look elsewhere to fill that role, but the question is, where do they go?

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Option one: next man up

The Patriots’ number one motto in the Bill Belichick era in these situations has always been to look to what’s already on the roster. The problem this time around is that a player that can play both as a defensive end and an outside linebacker might not currently be there.

That would mean if the coaching staff decides to go this route, fans could potentially see a heavy rotation of Kony Ealy, Shea McClellan, Kyle Van Noy, Elandon Roberts, and possibly rookie Harvey Langi. Provided he makes the team. This rotation would really just depend on down and distance situations and how Defensive Coordinator Matt Patricia decides to play things. McClellan makes sense as the David Harris addition allows the team to move him around the field as they please.

Option two: talk Ninkovich out of retirement

This could very well be the path the Patriots ultimately take to fill the role. Ninkovich’s retirement came as a bit of a surprise for most fans, and some have speculated that it may have been because he knew he could ultimately be the odd-man out in the end.

Bringing Ninkovich back would make things pretty easy on the defense. He doesn’t need to be taught the scheme (clearly), and still has the ability to make clutch plays while playing the exact role.

The big question here is whether or not Ninkovich would want to come back at all. Physically he still has some gas left in the tank, but mentally he may be ready to hang them up.

Option three: sign a veteran free agent or trade

The Patriots have taken this route in the past, and could very well go here again. There are several veterans available that could be perfect for the role. Names like Paul Kruger, Dwight Freeney, and Mario Williams.

Kruger has played his best football in similar systems to what the Patriots currently run. He recorded nine sacks as a member of the Baltimore Ravens in 2012 under former Patriots’ coach Dean Peas. He topped that number in 2014 while playing in Ray Horton’s hybrid scheme with the Cleveland Browns.

The Patriots and Freeney have had a history together. Dating all the way back to Freeney terrorizing Tom Brady in his heyday with the Indianapolis Colts. The two parties have had discussions each of the past couple offseasons about joining forces, and Freeney even came to Foxboro for a visit last year. He’s up there in age at 37 years-old, but would still provide solid sub-rush pressure, while also being a key veteran presence to teach the young guys.

A name to watch on the trade market could be the Ravens’, Za’Darius Smith. Smith is entering his third NFL season, making him a possible addition to helping the future as well. The Ravens are supposedly looking for tight end depth, a position the Patriots are loaded at. They could potentially package a low-round pick with one of the young backup tight ends to grab Smith, who put up 5.5 sacks as a rookie. The Ravens have invested heavily in the position, making Smith possibly expendable.

Time will tell which route the Patriots choose to take in the end, but thankfully the team still has two preseason games remaining to figure things out going into their title defense this year.

– Chris Morgan is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Patriots’ Fantasy Focus: The state of the wide receiver position

In the second installment of Patriots’ Fantasy Focus, we’ll take a closer look at the wide receiver group in New England and how they project going into the new fantasy football year.

With the addition of Brandin Cooks in the offseason trade with New Orleans, the Patriots now possess two receivers ranked in the Top 15 of the ESPN fantasy football rankings. The other is the man who just signed his new contract extension, Julian Edelman. These two won’t be the only wide receivers that will contribute to the Patriots this season, so we will highlight the top three at the position to keep an eye on.

AROUND COVER32

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Patriots’ News: Edelman is happy to remain in New England

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Brandin Cooks

Cooks comes over to the Patriots after spending the first three years of his career catching passes from Drew Brees in New Orleans. He is coming off back-to-back 1,100 yard campaigns, scoring 17 touchdowns between the last two seasons. His totals from last year were good enough to land him the 10th spot in final leaderboard at the position.

Brandin Cooks 2016 Fantasy Numbers Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Snap Snap Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Off. Off. Fant Fant Fant Rk G# Date Opp Result Tgt Rec Yds TD Tgt Rec Yds TD Num Pct FantPt DKPt FDPt 1 1 2016-09-11 OAK L 34-35 3 3 22 1 2 2 7 0 62 89.9% 27.40 36.4 30.4 2 2 2016-09-18 @ NYG L 13-16 53 85.5% 6.80 13.8 10.3 3 3 2016-09-26 ATL L 32-45 1 1 9 0 0 0 0 0 78 96.3% 1.90 3.9 2.9 4 4 2016-10-02 @ SDG W 35-34 50 68.5% 3.10 6.1 4.6 5 5 2016-10-16 CAR W 41-38 56 76.7% 23.50 33.5 27.0 6 6 2016-10-23 @ KAN L 21-27 1 1 9 1 1 1 9 1 67 89.3% 11.80 18.8 15.3 7 7 2016-10-30 SEA W 25-20 1 1 2 1 1 1 2 1 38 50.0% 10.40 14.4 12.4 8 8 2016-11-06 @ SFO W 41-23 1 1 -2 0 0 0 0 0 58 66.7% 6.60 11.6 9.1 9 9 2016-11-13 DEN L 23-25 38 74.5% 15.80 18.8 17.3 10 10 2016-11-17 @ CAR L 20-23 1 1 4 0 0 0 0 0 65 85.5% 4.90 11.9 8.4 11 11 2016-11-27 LAR W 49-21 45 60.8% 12 12 2016-12-04 DET L 13-28 2 2 13 0 1 1 8 0 52 83.9% 7.70 14.7 11.2 13 13 2016-12-11 @ TAM L 11-16 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 52 85.2% 6.10 11.1 8.6 14 14 2016-12-18 @ ARI W 48-41 66 76.7% 30.60 40.6 34.1 15 15 2016-12-24 TAM W 31-24 48 67.6% 9.80 14.8 12.3 16 16 2017-01-01 @ ATL L 32-38 55 71.4% 1.90 4.9 3.4

Total 11 10 57 3 6 5 26 2 883 168.3 255.3 207.3

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table

Cooks is still very young, turning 24 in September, just after the season starts. His speed is nearly second to none in this league making him the perfect downfield threat for Tom Brady to throw to.

Cooks will insert straight into the starting lineup for the Patriots. His talent alone should get him plenty of targets. Brady and Brees play a very similar style when it comes to spreading the ball around the field. As a result, this makes Cooks a matchup nightmare. One that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will constantly look to exploit.

Julian Edelman

Edelman is fresh off his new contract extension with the Patriots, and the former 7th-round draft pick from Kent State is already looking to continue competing.

Edelman finished in the 15th spot on the ESPN Wide receiver fantasy leaderboard after putting up a 1,100-yard campaign himself in 2016. He only reached the end zone three times though, which kept him from being higher on the list.

Julien Edelman 2016 Fantasy Numbers Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Snap Snap Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Off. Off. Fant Fant Fant Rk G# Date Opp Tgt Rec Yds TD Tgt Rec Yds TD Num Pct FantPt DKPt FDPt 1 1 2016-09-11 @ ARI 61 85.9% 8.20 15.2 11.7 2 2 2016-09-18 MIA 2 1 8 0 0 0 0 0 63 78.8% 7.60 14.6 11.1 3 3 2016-09-22 HOU 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 46 74.2% 5.20 9.2 7.2 4 4 2016-10-02 BUF 50 89.3% 1.70 2.7 2.2 5 5 2016-10-09 @ CLE 2 1 0 0 2 1 0 0 59 73.8% 3.50 8.5 6.0 6 6 2016-10-16 CIN 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 58 90.6% 3.80 7.8 5.8 7 7 2016-10-23 @ PIT 51 89.5% 4.00 14.0 8.5 8 8 2016-10-30 @ BUF 2 2 19 1 0 0 0 0 60 88.2% 9.70 13.7 11.7 9 9 2016-11-13 SEA 52 78.8% 7.90 15.9 11.4 10 10 2016-11-20 @ SFO 3 2 10 1 1 1 4 1 67 87.0% 14.90 22.9 18.9 11 11 2016-11-27 @ NYJ 66 90.4% 8.30 16.3 12.3 12 12 2016-12-04 LAR 54 68.4% 10.10 21.1 14.1 13 13 2016-12-12 BAL 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 47 68.1% 7.30 14.3 10.8 14 14 2016-12-18 @ DEN 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 44 58.7% 7.50 13.5 10.5 15 15 2016-12-24 NYJ 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 36 48.6% 8.90 13.9 11.4 16 16 2017-01-01 @ MIA 1 0 0 0 1 0 0 0 60 89.6% 23.70 34.7 27.7

Total 15 6 37 2 9 2 4 1 874 132.3 238.3 181.3

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table

Edelman’s production will ultimately take a hit with Cooks coming into the fold. With that being said, Brady continiously finds ways to get his favorite target the ball. Don’t look for that to change anytime soon.

Edelman likely won’t be taken very high in fantasy drafts this year. He should still be available in the middle-to-later rounds as you try to fill out the roster.

Chris Hogan

Hogan is the dark horse of the receiver group. He is certainly capable of taking targets away from everyone if he plays well enough. He was relatively quiet during the regular season.Puttung up only 680 yards and four touchdowns on 38 receptions. However, his standout performance against the Steelers in the AFC Championship Game makes him dangerous.

Chris Hogan 2016 Fantasy Numbers Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Insi Snap Snap Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Rece Off. Off. Fant Fant Fant G# Date Opp Result Tgt Rec Yds TD Tgt Rec Yds TD Num Pct FantPt DKPt FDPt 1 2016-09-11 @ ARI W 23-21 55 77.5% 12.00 15.0 13.5 2 2016-09-18 MIA W 31-24 63 78.8% 5.90 9.9 7.9 3 2016-09-22 HOU W 27-0 1 1 3 0 0 0 0 0 55 88.7% 0.30 1.3 0.8 4 2016-10-02 BUF L 0-16 52 92.9% 5 2016-10-09 @ CLE W 33-13 49 61.3% 11.60 18.6 13.6 6 2016-10-16 CIN W 35-17 56 87.5% 3.90 4.9 4.4 7 2016-10-23 @ PIT W 27-16 33 57.9% 0.50 3.5 1.5 8 2016-10-30 @ BUF W 41-25 1 1 3 0 1 1 3 0 63 92.6% 15.10 19.1 17.1 9 2016-11-13 SEA L 24-31 31 47.0% 11 2016-11-27 @ NYJ W 22-17 67 91.8% 7.00 11.0 9.0 12 2016-12-04 LAR W 26-10 1 1 14 1 0 0 0 0 68 86.1% 8.30 12.3 10.3 13 2016-12-12 BAL W 30-23 3 2 12 0 2 1 2 0 57 82.6% 19.60 27.6 22.1 14 2016-12-18 @ DEN W 16-3 52 69.3% 1.80 2.8 2.3 15 2016-12-24 NYJ W 41-3 2 0 0 0 2 0 0 0 64 86.5% 2.20 3.2 2.7 16 2017-01-01 @ MIA W 35-14 2 2 8 0 0 0 0 0 64 95.5% 2.70 6.7 4.7

Total 10 7 40 1 5 2 5 0 829 90.9 135.9 109.9

Provided by Pro-Football-Reference.com: View Original Table

Hogan put up 180 yards and two touchdowns against Pittsburgh that day, proving he can take over a game if needed. Look for Hogan as a grab-and-stash free agent post draft to insert if an injury occurs.

  – Chris Morgan is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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Patriots’ Fantasy Focus: Quarterbacks and Tight Ends

Fantasy football continues to grow, with no sign of slowing down. It’s a way for fans to feel a bit closer to the action, putting together a perfect squad and hoping they come away with a championship. New England Patriots players are no strangers to the fantasy leaderboards, but fantasy owners need to be careful which Patriots they target in their drafts. In every edition of Patriots’ Fantasy Focus, we will highlight which Patriots’ players to target this year.

Traditionally, fantasy owners stay as far away from Patriots’ running backs in the draft, thanks to the offensive system the team runs. The constant changing out of backs on any given play makes playing one of the New England runners infuriating unless you were lucky enough to have LeGarrette Blount and his 18 touchdowns on your squad last year.

With that being said, there are still plenty of Patriots players to target in the fantasy draft room. All of which can turn the team into a championship contender. Today we will look at the quarterback and tight end position.

AROUND COVER32

2017 NFL Draft: How the Baltimore Ravens could have benefitted from trading down in the draft

2017 NFL Season: Could Jaguars’ rookie RB, Leonard Fournette, be this year’s Ezekiel Elliot

What’s Trending: Former NFL QB, Chris Simms, calls Giants’ re-signing of DE, Pierre-Paul, “Boneheaded”

This Week in NFL History: Reliving some of the greatest moments in NFL history from May 21st – May 27th

Around the NFL: Giants’ star WR, Odell Beckham Jr., misses first day of OTA’s

Patriots’ News: Raymond Clayborn earned his call to the Patriots’ Hall

Patriots’ News: Patriots, Gronkowski agree on contract restructure

  Quarterback Tom Brady

Brady may have missed the first four games of the regular season in 2016, but he still ended up as the 15th highest scoring quarterback in standard ESPN formats. His 14:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio played a large part in that. Had Brady played the entire season, it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think he could’ve been top three.

This year, Brady will be there from the start, with even more weapons at his disposal. The additions of wide receiver Brandin Cooks, tight end Dwayne Allen, and the continued emergence of running back James White should make things even better for Brady owners this season. Expect the Patriots’ signal caller to go late first round to early second round depending on the size of the league.

Tight Ends Rob Gronkowski and Dwayne Allen

The Patriots just rewarded Gronk with a restructured contract, making him potentially the highest paid tight end in the NFL. He is coming back fully healthy going into 2017, and when Gronkowski is healthy, he is always a force to be reckoned with in fantasy football.

Bringing in Dwayne Allen to be the second tight end will take a few touches away from Gronkowski, but as long as the former Arizona Wildcat stays healthy for a change, he will be the main target from the position.

That brings us to Allen. At the end of the day, Gronkowski hasn’t been able to stay on the field consistently. He has only played two full seasons in the league, his first two years. Last season he only appeared in eight games. That makes Allen an interesting prospect in later rounds. Last year, Allen hauled in 35 catches for 406 yards and six touchdowns for a mediocre Indianapolis Colts team.

This year, he joins one of the best quarterbacks of all time and is inserted in a system that heavily features both of the tight ends. Don’t be afraid to take Allen in later rounds even after drafting Gronkowski earlier as an insurance policy. Pairing the two on the same roster will set the team up for continued success at tight end.

  – Chris Morgan is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

    The post Patriots’ Fantasy Focus: Quarterbacks and Tight Ends appeared first on Cover32.

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Three Patriots poised for breakout seasons in 2017

As rookie minicamps rev up around the NFL, the 2017 season inches ever closer. The New England Patriots, coming off their fifth super bowl title, move forward into the season with some fresh faces to go along with the grizzled veterans of the group. Several young players are in position to have breakout seasons in 2017. Here are just three that stand out.

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Defensive End Kony Ealy

Ealy is a newcomer to the Patriots, joining the champs after being acquired in a trade with the Carolina Panthers as the free agency period was just beginning. The former second-round pick has totaled 14 sacks in his three-year career, including five in each of the last two seasons. With Julius Peppers returning to the Panthers this year, Ealy would have been relegated to more of a reserve role in Carolina. Now he gets the chance to be the starter opposite of Trey Flowers this year.

Ealy’s size makes him a great fit in New England. He stands at six-foot-four, weighing in at 275 pounds, giving him the ability to rush on the outside and the inside. Ealy will be a big part of the rotation on the defensive line for the Patriots, and could make an impact right away.

Linebacker Elandon Roberts

The second-year player from Houston played in 13 games for the Patriots last season, totaling 45 combined-tackles. Roberts showed flashes early in the year, but saw his playing time diminish as the season wore on. The emergence of Shea McClellan as the main linebacker opposite of Dont’a Hightower really hurt Roberts as well.

That being said, defensive coordinator Matt Patricia loves to rotate players in-and-out of the lineup on a regular basis, and a second year in the system will serve Roberts well this year. He has decent enough speed to be a factor in coverage on passing downs, something McClellan does not excel at. Look for Roberts to compete hard for the second inside linebacker spot.

Running back James White

A stellar performance in Super Bowl 51 puts the spotlight on White coming into 2017. He came away with 14 receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown in the air. He added 29 rushing yards on six carries with two scores, including the game-winner in overtime.

The addition of Mike Gillislee and an already crowded backfield won’t make things easy for White. He will likely be the main receiving back for the Patriots this year, getting a lot of time on passing downs. Gillislee is a capable receiver out of the backfield, but not on the level that White showed last season. This should keep White high in the rotation. His chemistry with Tom Brady continues to grow, making him a prime candidate for a bigger year.

  – Chris Morgan, is a Staff Writer for cover32/Patriots and covers the New England Patriots. Like and follow on Follow @THECapnMorgan76 Follow @cover32_NE and Facebook.

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