San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Kendrick Bourne operated as the team's No. 3 receiver in Week 2, just five days after signing with the team. In San Francisco's 26-21 win over New Orleans, Bourne caught all three of his targets for 32 receiving yards. His production expectedly lagged behind Jauan Jennings (ankle) and Ricky Pearsall, but he outsnapped Marques Valdez-Scantling 33 to eight. This is Bourne's second stint with the 49ers, the team that signed him as a rookie in 2017. After hitting free agency in 2021, Bourne signed with the Patriots and spent three years there with Mac Jones as his quarterback. Jones is under center for San Francisco while Brock Purdy (toe/shoulder) recovers from multiple injuries. With Jennings now nursing an ankle injury sustained on Sunday, Bourne may have added relevance in the 49ers' Week 3 appointment with the Arizona Cardinals.
Sep 16, 2025 11:41 AM EST
Wide receiver Kendrick Bourne signed a one-year deal with the San Francisco 49ers on September 9, returning to the team that gave him his start in the NFL in 2017. The signing was in light of injuries sustained in Week 1 by key pass catchers George Kittle (hamstring), who is now on injured reserve, and Jauan Jennings (shoulder), who is questionable for Week 2. Quarterback Brock Purdy (toe, shoulder) is also dealing with injuries and has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Saints. Taking over the offense will be Mac Jones, who was Bourne's teammate for three years in New England, from 2021 to 2023. Bourne should not be in starting lineups but could be a bench stash in deeper leagues in case he shows renewed chemistry with Jones, given Purdy might be facing a multi-week absence.
Sep 13, 2025 3:55 AM EST
Free-agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is returning to the San Francisco 49ers on Monday on a one-year deal with a maximum value of $5 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. The 49ers were already one of the most banged-up teams heading into Week 1 before both tight end George Kittle (hamstring) and Jauan Jennings (shoulder) went down with injuries in Sunday's win over the Seattle Seahawks. Depending on the severity of Kittle's and Jennings' injuries, Bourne could have a shot to immediately step in as San Fran's No. 2 wideout behind Ricky Pearsall, starting in Week 2 against the New Orleans Saints in a favorable matchup. The 30-year-old hasn't really been the same since tearing his right ACL in 2023 with the New England Patriots, but the opportunity alone in his return to the Bay Area might make him worth a deep-league stash for receiver depth.
Sep 8, 2025 12:51 PM EST
Free-agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is visiting the Washington Commanders on Tuesday after meeting with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday. According to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, "the framework of a deal is in place for both teams," suggesting a signing could come soon. Washington extended Terry McLaurin last week, acquired Deebo Samuel Sr. in March, and still has Noah Brown and Luke McCaffrey on the roster. Regardless, the veteran wideout appears poised to land with a team in the near future.
Sep 2, 2025 10:08 AM EST
Veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is visiting the San Francisco 49ers on Monday, according to Jordan Schultz of Fox Sports. Schultz reports that Bourne is also scheduled to visit the Washington Commanders on Tuesday "if a deal is not reached with San Francisco." That could indicate that the 49ers should be considered the favorites to sign Bourne as long as they don't let him leave their building. Bourne spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco playing for current 49ers head coach Kyle Shanahan, so he could hit the ground running with less than a week before the team's Week 1 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. San Francisco is hurting for healthy and available wide receivers behind Ricky Pearsall, which means Bourne could step into a prominent role in the offense right away. He's a waiver-wire name to monitor for fantasy managers if he does indeed sign with the 49ers.
Sep 1, 2025 11:41 AM EST
Free-agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne will visit with the San Francisco 49ers on Monday and with the Washington Commanders on Tuesday, a source told Ian Rapoport of NFL Network. The framework of a deal is in place with both teams, just in case. The interest from the 49ers was previously reported with San Francisco's wideout room currently decimated by injuries. The 30-year-old went undrafted out of Eastern Washington before joining the Niners back in 2017. He spent four years in the Bay Area and caught 137 passes for 1,769 yards and 11 touchdowns in 58 games (13 starts) there, but it wasn't until moving to New England where he really took off with a career year in 2021 (55-800-5 line). Bourne would definitely have more of a shot at a key role on offense if he were to return to the 49ers, but fantasy managers shouldn't be holding their breathe either way.
Aug 28, 2025 6:52 PM EST
The San Francisco 49ers are "still in the mix" to sign free agent wide receiver Kendrick Bourne, according to Matt Barrows of The Athletic. Bourne was released by the New England Patriots on Wednesday. The 30-year-old spent the first four seasons of his career in San Francisco, so there's familiarity between player and organization. The 49ers currently have just three fully healthy and available wide receivers on their 53-man roster, so Bourne would have a chance to contribute immediately if San Francisco were to bring him in. Bourne recorded 28 catches for 305 yards and one touchdown in 12 games (nine starts) for New England in 2024.
Aug 28, 2025 10:40 AM EST
The New England Patriots are releasing veteran wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (foot) on Wednesday, sources tell Tom Pelissero of NFL Network. Bourne requested to be released so that he can try to latch on with another team that doesn't have such a crowded receiving picture. The 30-year-old missed most of August with a foot injury, but he's healthy now and looking to contribute somewhere else in 2025. The former undrafted pass-catcher out of Eastern Washington spent the first four years of his NFL career with the San Francisco 49ers, but it wasn't until he came to New England that he really blossomed as a receiver. Bourne had a career-best 55-800-5 line in 17 games (five starts) in 2021, but he dropped off considerably the following year and hasn't been the same after suffering an injury in 2023. It's possibly he'll look to reunite with the Niners, who could use the wideout depth.
Aug 27, 2025 1:11 PM EST
The New England Patriots announced their 53-man roster on Tuesday, and both rookie Efton Chism III (ankle, foot) and Kendrick Bourne (leg) were included despite dealing with injuries during training camp. The 23-year-old Chism was a nice story in training camp after going undrafted out of Eastern Washington. While he turned heads during practices this summer, Chism's most direct path to playing time in 2025 will most likely come on special teams. Bourne, 30, is a surprise addition to the 53-man roster after having not practiced or played since injuring his leg on Aug. 1. He had an outlier season in 2021 with 55 catches for 800 yards and five touchdowns, but since then he's totaled 1,145 yards and six touchdowns in three seasons. Bourne is buried in a crowded New England wideout room and should be avoided in the vast majority of fantasy leagues.
Aug 26, 2025 7:12 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (leg) will not practice this week or play in the preseason finale on Thursday against the New York Giants, according to head coach Mike Vrabel. Bourne had his leg rolled up on during practice back on Aug. 1 and has not practiced or played since. The 30-year-old's spot on the 53-man roster is now no longer guaranteed because of the fact that he might not be ready to go for the Week 1 regular-season opener. Bourne had a career-high 800 receiving yards in 2021 in his first year with New England, but he has disappointed ever since and played in 20 combined games due to injuries the last two seasons. In 2024, he had only 28 catches on 38 targets for 305 yards and one touchdown in 12 games (nine starts). Bourne hasn't been the same since tearing his ACL back in 2023.
Aug 18, 2025 12:33 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (undisclosed) will not practice this week, according to head coach Mike Vrabel. According to Vrabel, Bourne "got rolled up" during practice last Friday and will be sidelined as he tends to his injury. The team has not elaborated on the nature of the injury, but Bourne was seen without his left cleat on after getting hurt on Friday. Bourne is locked in a training camp battle in a crowded receiver room, so the missed time will not help his cause. Even if he does make the team out of training camp, Bourne will not be on the radar for fantasy leagues.
Aug 4, 2025 10:22 AM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (undisclosed) was injured at practice on Friday. The 29-year-old limped off the field after a catch before being attended to by team medical staff. He appeared in 12 games for the Pats last season. However, Bourne didn't do much from a fantasy standpoint, amassing 28 catches for 305 yards and one touchdown. Fantasy managers should consider him day-to-day, at least until the team provides an official update. With that in mind, Bourne's chances of making the 53-man roster heading into Week 1 were already slim, so an extended absence due to an injury won't help.
Aug 1, 2025 10:05 PM EST
There are as many as five wide receivers battling for one or two roster spots this summer with the New England Patriots, including Kendrick Bourne, Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, according to Patriots.com's Evan Lazar. Bourne could have a leg up, as he has a history with offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, posting a career-high 925 scrimmage yards with McDaniels in 2021. However, Bourne has overlapping skill sets with younger receivers on the roster, and the Pats may prefer to go with youth, especially since Bourne carries a $7.7 million salary cap hit. Boutte, who broke out last year for 43 catches, 589 yards and three scores, could earn a roster spot because of his ability to excel deep down the field. He has also developed some nice chemistry with quarterback Drake Maye. Polk and Baker both disappointed in their rookie seasons and will need to show more to get a chance in 2025.
Jul 15, 2025 2:11 PM EST
The Athletic's Chad Graff suggests that it could be time for the New England Patriots to move on from wide receiver Kendrick Bourne this offseason, even if he's their top player at their biggest position of need. Bourne missed the start of the 2024 season while recovering from a torn right ACL and caught only 28 passes on 38 targets for 305 yards and one touchdown in 12 games (nine starts) once he returned. With a new coaching regime in town, the Patriots could move on from Bourne, who will be heading into his age-30 season in 2025. New England would save $4.9 million in salary cap space if they cut him before June 1 or $6.3 million if they cut him with a post-June 1 designation. Bourne is under contract with the Patriots through the 2026 season, but it wouldn't be a huge surprise to see this rebuilding organization go in another direction as they completely rebuild their receiving corps.
Feb 22, 2025 12:03 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne continues to trend in the wrong direction ahead of Sunday's Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. The 29-year-old has seen his role decline over the last two weeks, during which he has been less productive than both DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte. Bourne played just 72 percent of the offensive snaps against the Los Angeles Chargers, and his two receptions tied his lowest mark since Week 8. The Bills have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to perimeter receivers, but that's less appealing when you consider that Boutte continues to handle more snaps than Bourne. Despite the favorable matchup, Bourne's reduced volume keeps him outside the top 50 fantasy receivers for Week 18. He ranks as a mid-to-low WR5.
Jan 4, 2025 4:33 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has maintained a steady role within the offense, but he remains off the fantasy radar heading into Saturday's Week 17 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers. Bourne has just 11 catches for 131 yards over his last four games, and he hasn't found the end zone since Week 11 against the Los Angeles Rams. He and DeMario Douglas have played a similar number of snaps lately, but they both rank a significant distance behind Kayshon Boutte in terms of usage. That's particularly unfortunate for Bourne because he operates out wide, which is where Boutte has played 89.9 percent of his snaps. Therefore, even against a Bolts defense allowing the sixth-most fantasy points to perimeter wide receivers, Bourne can't be trusted in lineups as long as Boutte remains a top option in New England's passing attack.
Dec 27, 2024 12:54 AM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne converted his two targets into two receptions for 18 yards during Sunday's Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. The veteran pass-catcher was dependable when Drake Maye threw his way, but that didn't happen too often on Sunday evening. This was Bourne's worst outing since Week 8 and will keep him off the fantasy radar going forward. On a positive note, he did play 69.8 percent of the offensive snaps on Sunday, which was his highest mark since Week 9 against the Tennessee Titans (and his third-highest mark through 10 games this season). Moving forward, Bourne can be left on fantasy waivers. He faces the Los Angeles Chargers next Saturday afternoon in Massachusetts.
Dec 23, 2024 2:40 AM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne has emerged as a potential fantasy option lately, and he remains on the radar heading into Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills. Over his last four games, Bourne has totaled 14 catches, 183 yards, and one touchdown, cementing himself as one of Drake Maye's favorite targets. This week, Bourne gets a favorable matchup against the Bills, who have allowed the eighth-most fantasy points to opposing receivers who play out wide this year. Increased volume and a favorable matchup against the Bills put Bourne back on the radar as a low-end WR3/FLEX option in leagues with 14 or more teams.
Dec 21, 2024 12:14 AM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne caught all three of his targets for 44 yards during Sunday's Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Most of Bourne's production came on one singular play: a 37-yard reception that set up the Patriots inside the red zone. Drake Maye and DeMario Douglas connected for a touchdown two plays later. Bourne, 29, has been impressive over his last four games, totaling 14 catches, 183 receiving yards, and one touchdown during that span. The veteran pass-catcher has emerged as one of Maye's favorite targets and might even be ahead of Douglas in the pecking order. He should be viewed as a mid-range WR4 option heading into Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills.
Dec 15, 2024 10:00 PM EST
New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne is not a reliable fantasy option entering Week 15 against the Arizona Cardinals. While Bourne combined for 11 catches, 139 yards, and one touchdown in three games prior to the Patriots' bye, the 29-year-old's upside will be limited this week as he takes on the Cardinals. Bourne has played 78.5 percent of his snaps out wide, and Arizona has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to receivers operating out wide in 2024. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere such as Bourne's teammate and Patriots slot receiver DeMario Douglas for fantasy production in the WR3/FLEX position this week.
Dec 13, 2024 2:56 PM EST
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