The third week of preseason action might have claimed two key starters for projected playoff teams. New England Patriots wide receiver Julian Edelman left Friday's game with a knee injury when he planted his right foot and it buckled. The team now suspects Edelman tore his ACL, an injury that would cause him to miss the entire 2017.
Edelman will undergo an MRI on Sunday to fully determine the extent of the injury. But as of now fantasy owners and Patriots fans must operate under the idea that Edelman will be out for a significant amount of games, if not the entire season.
The loss of Edelman serves as a bigger blow in points per reception leagues than standard. Last season, Edelman hauled in 98 receptions for 1,106 yards with three touchdowns. A favorite of Tom Brady, Edelman represented the go-to slot option for New England and his loss would create a void.
While Chris Hogan gets attention as a player to add, his game is different than Edelman's. Hogan works the deep routes and offers the big-play opportunities, but the consistency of targets doesn't come with it. The biggest beneficiary would be Brandin Cooks, who is also a deep threat but can work the intermediate game and serve in some of the roles Edelman contributed in.
We'll update you further when more information becomes available.