Fantasy Football: How Julian Edelman’s Injury Affects Brandin Cooks, Chris Hogan

Julian Edelman looked like he was primed for another huge year in the New England Patriots’ offense, but the 31-year-old receiver tore his ACL during the Patriots’ preseason game against the Detroit Lions on Friday.

While Edelman’s injury undoubtedly will impact the Patriots’ offensive plans on the field, his absence also will change the fantasy outlook for two of New England’s other wideouts — Brandin Cooks and Chris Hogan.

Edelman led the team with 98 receptions in 2016, which means there will be plenty of opportunities for Cooks and Hogan during the 2017 season.

Cooks was acquired from the New Orleans Saints during the offseason and already was expected to be a huge weapon for quarterback Tom Brady. Cooks was one of the top receivers in fantasy football last year, tallying 78 catches for 1,173 yards and eight touchdowns. With Edelman out, Cooks likely will see a lot more targets from Brady, most notably near the goal line where Brady often looked for his favorite target.

The 23-year-old Cooks already looked to be a quality fantasy option due to his big-play ability and the multitude of weapons in New England’s offense, but without Edelman in the picture, Cooks should be the top wide receiver for the Pats, and that normally means a good haul in fantasy football.

The other receiver who’s stock is expected to rise with the absence of Edelman is Hogan. The 28-year-old looked good Friday night against the Lions, hauling in four catches for 70 yards and two touchdowns. He likely will slot into Edelman’s role, opposite Cooks, and see a ton of looks over the middle and in short-yardage situations. We expect Hogan to see a lot of favorable matchups with opposing defenses focusing on Cooks and Rob Gronkowski, which should see him become a valuable weapon for your fantasy football team.

Before the injury to Edelman, Hogan was seen as a late-round draft pick or a waiver-wire grab. But now, he should slide into the middle rounds as people look to capitalize on Brady and the Patriots’ vaunted offense.

Speaking of Brady, while the injury to Edelman undoubtedly is a blow to the quarterback’s arsenal of weapons, it shouldn’t affect Brady’s fantasy stock at all. He still is the No. 1 or No. 2 quarterback, along with Aaron Rodgers, and will have a host of weapons to give the ball too when the season kicks off Sept. 7 against the Kansas City Chiefs.

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