The New England Patriots have some great fantasy football options for the 2015 season, as players like Julian Edelman, Rob Gronkowski, Brandon Bolden, Dion Lewis, LeGarrette Blount, Danny Amendola and Scott Chandler all could be solid picks for Tom Brady leading into Week 1 of the season against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Tom Brady being back for Week 1 after his suspension was thrown out is welcome news for the Patriots and now fantasy owners can breathe easy that he is starting. Jimmy Garoppolo may have played well in his place, but he is no Tom Brady and that makes all the Patriots players better fantasy options. Julian Edelman has had two very productive seasons and he is the best WR option for the Pats this year past Danny Amendola and Aaron Dobson.
Last season Edelman led the team with 92 catches and four touchdowns while playing in 14 games and he is expected to be okay for Week 1. Edelman has been dealing with an ankle issue this summer, but he said to the Boston Herald that he was "feeling good" and that he is on track to play in Week 1. Fantasy owners in PPR leagues should go after Edelman, as he has become the new Wes Welker for Brady. Edelman had a career best 105 catches for 1056 yards in 2013 and last year he set a high with a 69.4 yards per game average. Expect more production from Edelman this season.
The Patriots have LeGarrette Blount out for the first couple weeks of the season with a suspension and that makes Brandon Bolden a worthy option for at least the first two games. The Pats ditched Jonas Gray and Bolden could be a solid sleeper at least for the short term. He is not much of an option overall, but the team likes his versatility and he could push himself into getting more touches if he plays well with Blount out. Blount is still a solid option to draft for the season and Travaris Cadet could also be worth a look for the first two weeks.
Blount was solid for the Patriots last season and had 547 yards rushing for the team and scored five touchdowns. Blount likely will be the starter once he comes back from suspension. Gronkowski is obviously one of the best picks in all of football and if he stays healthy, he is one of the most productive players for the Pats. Last season Gronk had 12 touchdowns receptions and went for 82 catches for 1124 yards and he could be in line for numbers like that again this season.
Tom Brady is going to be starting the first four weeks after his suspension business was taken care of and he remains a top fantasy QB. The Patriots fantasy outlook is a good one for this season and owners should expect to get some strong production.
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The Patriots have also taken care of some in house business, as the team has signed lineman Nate Solder to a contract extension. According to ESPN.com, the team has signed Solder to a two-year extension and that keeps him with the team through the 2017 season. Solder is coming into the fifth year of his deal after being a first round pick back in 2011 and he has been one of the most consistent linemen for the Pats. The deal will give him over $20 million for the two years and he also will be able to hit free agency without getting franchise tagged into the 2018 season.
