New England Patriots

What fantasy football experts are saying about Patriots rookie N’Keal Harry

The consensus is that he has potential but isn't worth selecting before the late rounds.

Patriots wide receiver N'Keal Harry has a chance to emerge as a key contributor in his rookie year. Duane Burleson / AP Photo

By Trevor Hass

3 minutes to read

While Julian Edelman is clearly Tom Brady’s top target to start the season, and newly reinstated Josh Gordon may ultimately step into a major role once again, there’s speculation that rookie N’Keal Harry could become a key threat as the season progresses.

Harry, the Patriots’ first-round selection out of Arizona State, has shown flashes so far in training camp and the preseason, though he’s also dropped some catchable passes. He finished with two receptions in the team’s preseason opener against the Detroit Lions last Thursday, but he sat out Saturday’s game against the Tennessee Titans as he reportedly continues to recover from multiple minor lower-body injuries.

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After missing practice, Harry reportedly flew back to New England on Thursday to get treatment and rest. Though the situation isn’t ideal for a rookie looking to carve out a role for himself, the consensus among reporters is that Harry will likely be healthy and ready to play Week 1 of the regular season when the Patriots host the Pittsburgh Steelers.

Patriots head coach Bill Belichick had never taken a wide receiver in the first round, and the last time the team did so was in 1996 with Terry Glenn. It’s clear Harry has a chance to emerge as a sure-handed pass catcher, but it’s impossible to truly forecast his potential fantasy-wise this season because he’s still getting situated on a roster with many experienced veterans.

Here’s what the experts are saying:

The consensus among reporters is that Harry has potential both short and long term but isn’t worth selecting before the late rounds.

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At the time of the NFL Draft, ESPN’s Matthew Berry deemed Harry a No. 4 or No. 5 fantasy wide receiver, noting that he could be particularly useful in dynasty leagues. He likes his upside, noting that he was the only Power 5 player to have at least 70 receptions and eight touchdowns in each of the last two seasons.

“Big body, could be a red zone target,” Berry said.

Berry’s colleague Mike Clay said he has Harry pegged for 47 catches, 634 yards, and five touchdowns. This was before Harry’s injuries, and before Gordon was reinstated, but it gives a sense of how experts view him and his role.

Both reporters did, however, note that there’s some pessimism with rookies across the board, pointing out that it’s also particularly difficult to develop Brady’s trust as a rookie.

CBS Sports analyst Dave Richard is also impressed but not entirely sold. He deems Harry worthy of a 10th-round selection, noting that he’s “safe but doesn’t have spectacular upside.”

“Harry’s a solid, well-refined receiver who can line up anywhere, run great routes and use his wide body and large catch radius to snare anything thrown at him,” Richard said. “If there’s a weakness, it’s that he doesn’t possess very good speed and typically separates with his strength, not his feet. This doesn’t mean he can’t play, but it does suggest he’ll need a lot of targets to be good for Fantasy.”

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The question then, of course, becomes whether the 6’2, 225-pound Harry will get those targets. Even with Rob Gronkowski gone, Edelman, Gordon, Phillip Dorsett, Demaryius Thomas, Maurice Harris, Jakobi Meyers, Dontrelle Inman, and Braxton Berrios, among others, are all in the mix. On top of that, Sony Michel, James White, Rex Burkhead, and Damien Harris, to name a few, all figure to catch passes out of the backfield.

Assuming the Patriots will score a lot of points is generally a safe bet, but it’s also fair to assume those points will come from a variety of sources, with Harry as one of many options.

“Hoping for a rookie to step up in an offense that doesn’t have a great track record for perimeter receivers seems awfully risky,” Richard said. “Expect people to overvalue him based on his new team.”

Mike Tagliere of FantasyPros echoes Richard’s thoughts, pointing out that Harry has a chance to make a name for himself but can’t necessarily be counted on to put up consistent numbers right away.

“We’re always left looking for the next big thing in the Patriots offense,” Tagliere wrote, “only most of those hyped players never pan out.”

Matthew Freedman of The Action Network is more optimistic about Harry’s chances to contribute, praising him for his versatility.

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“Harry has a good chance to see playing time right away,” Freedman wrote, “and his ability to play out wide and in the slot should help him stay on the field in more situations.”