A.J. Brown's fantasy football owners got some encouraging news on Monday.
The Patriots' big-time offseason receiver acquisition hasn't seen the field since he suffered a high ankle sprain in the Week 1 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. He has missed the last four games since being placed on injured reserve.
There's hope in New England that Brown's return could be imminent, and coach Mike Vrabel offered an optimistic (if brief) assessment of his status.
"There's a chance," Vrabel said when asked if Brown could play in Week 6 against the Jets. "Yep. There is."
Vrabel added that he believes Brown's return could help the production from a passing game that has had some struggles early in the season.
That's welcome news for any fantasy managers who have Brown
(or quarterback Drake Maye, for that matter) on their rosters heading into Week 6. Brown was viewed as a top-10 fantasy receiver entering the season after turning in his fourth consecutive 1,000-yard campaign in 2025 with the Eagles.
The former second-round pick is a three-time Second-Team All-Pro selection, and he's finished with 1,000 yards in each of his previous seven seasons as a pro except for 2021, when he appeared in just 13 games.
Maye has turned in back-to-back strong performances after starting the season with just one touchdown to six interceptions, and if Brown is able to return against New York, we could see New England continue to stretch its winning streak.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Mike Vrabel's 6-word A.J. Brown injury update was encouraging for fantasy owners
