Who Should I Start? A.J. Brown or Malik Nabers


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
14.7 0.0 0.0 5.0 70.9 0.4

A.J. Brown News

A.J. Brown Not Suiting Up Thursday Against the Browns

Thursday, August 27, 5:25 PM

According to Evan Lazar, senior reporter for the Patriots, star wide receiver A.J. Brown will not be playing Thursday night in the Patriots' final preseason game against the Cleveland Browns. Brown is one of 37 Patriots not in uniform tonight, which indicates the team will be resting a majority of its key starters. Brown did not record any preseason stats in any of the three Patriots preseason games, but reports from camp have suggested good chemistry with third-year quarterback Drake Maye. Brown enters his eighth NFL season at 29 years old and his first season with the Patriots, where he should be the clear alpha in the wide receiver room. Brown has recorded north of 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first seven seasons and has scored seven-plus touchdowns in seven of his eight seasons. He projects to be a WR1 for fantasy managers and is one of the trendiest names in fantasy football entering the 2026 season.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
12.1 0.5 0.0 4.3 56.7 0.3

Malik Nabers News

Malik Nabers Leaves Practice Early, Not Injury-Related

Wednesday, August 26, 1:33 PM

The Athletic's Dan Duggan reported on Wednesday that New York Giants wide receiver Malik Nabers walked off with a trainer with 20 minutes left in training camp practice after having a full workload. Head coach John Harbaugh was unaware when first asked about Nabers leaving early and said that it "wasn't part of the plan," before later stating that "there's no injury." The 23-year-old former sixth overall pick from LSU tore his right ACL and meniscus and was limited to only four games in his sophomore season in 2025, and Nabers was just recently cleared to shed his non-contact jersey in training camp practices. Nabers is nearing the final stages of his recovery from his season-ending knee injury last year, and barring a setback before now and the Sept. 13 regular-season opener, he should be ready to face the division-rival Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. Nabers could be eased in early in the 2026 season, but his continued improvement in his rehab has made him a more palatable low-end WR1 selection in fantasy football drafts.


A.J. Brown vs. Malik Nabers

Still trying to decide between Brown and Nabers? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that A.J. Brown is projected to score 14.7 points this week while Malik Nabers is projected to score 12.1 points.