Cam Newton has officially been released by the Patriots, the most unexpected piece of news to drop on cut day. The assumption was that Newton would be the starting quarterback, and Mac Jones would take over if Newton struggled. But now the job is Jones’ for Week 1 against the Dolphins. How does Jones being the starter impact the 2021 fantasy football projections?
2021 Fantasy Football Previews: Mac Jones
Jones’ Fantasy Outlook
Jones will be in a good situation for real-life success given the nature of the Patriots’ offense, but real NFL success is different from fantasy success. The Patriots are not an aggressive passing offense, which will limit Jones’ fantasy value. He is also not going to run much, which is key in fantasy football. Despite that, he should finish anywhere from QB16 to QB24.
Patriots Wide Receivers Outlook
The Patriots have a clear top two at receiver: Nelson Agholor and Jakobi Meyers. Between the two, Meyers is the preferred option, though ADP tells a different story. Meyers has lit it up in preseason and could easily be the favorite target of Jones, but Agholor also has a chance to be the leader in targets.
Patriots Running Backs Outlook
Damien Harris was already starting to rise up draft boards following the trading of Sony Michel, and now with Jones under center, his upside is even higher. Newton was inevitably going to steal tons of touchdowns from Harris, and now Harris will see tons of goal-line opportunities during the season. A top-12 finish may be ambitious, but it is certainly in the cards for him in 2021. The other backs on the team are James White, Rhamondre Stevenson and JJ Taylor. White has sneaky upside when it comes to pass-catching, and Stevenson could be relevant if Harris were to go down with an injury.
Patriots Tight Ends Outlook
Regardless of Jones becoming the starter, the tight end situation in New England is about as confusing as it gets. With both Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith being used, it will be confusing at least at the beginning of the season to figure out who to start. Both Henry and Smith are starter-quality tight ends, so it will be interesting to see how they are used in this offense with Jones under center. They are both worth late-round fliers, but determining which one will be better is a coin flip.
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