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A.J. Brown #1 of the New England Patriots speaks during a press conference during a joint practice with the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium on August 19, 2026 in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
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A.J. Brown’s messy tenure in Philadelphia is over, making him one of the sexiest bounce-back candidates in the betting market.
The three-time Pro Bowler enters his first year with the Patriots with his season-long receiving yard total set at 1,100.5 yards (-105, BetMGM Sportsbook) after finishing with 1,003 last season amid an increasingly strained relationship with Jalen Hurts and frustration over his role in the Eagles offense.
Drake Maye, Mike Vrabel and New England offer a much cleaner setup for a big year.
Brown reunites with his former head coach, whom he has openly praised dating back to their time together with the Titans, and now gets to play with Maye, one of the NFL’s best young deep-ball passers.
That could be an ideal match for Brown, who remains one of the league’s most dangerous receivers on vertical routes and contested catches, which he didn’t get much of in 2025.
A.J. Brown of the New England Patriots warms up prior to an NFL preseason football game against the Philadelphia Eagles at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts, on August 22, 2026. Getty ImagesMaye’s willingness and ability to push the ball downfield should give Brown more chances for big plays than he saw last season with Hurts behind center.
Brown needs to average just 64.8 receiving yards over 17 games to clear this number, which he has in each of his five NFL seasons, including his rookie year, his injury-riddled 2024 season and a year ago.
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As recently as three years ago, Brown was coming off two straight 1,450-plus yard seasons.
If he stays healthy, a happier situation gives Brown a strong chance of another Pro Bowl-like season.
The pick: A.J. Brown over 1,100.5 receiving yards (-105, BetMGM Sportsbook)
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Dylan Svoboda is a versatile writer and analyst across many sports. He’s particularly knowledgeable about the big three — MLB, the NFL and the NBA.
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