Heading into the 2018 season, Julian Edelman was virtually a fantasy afterthought. Whether it was his age (32), his surgically-repaired ACL, his 4-game suspension to start the season, or some combination of them all, he was being drafted well into the 7th round in many leagues, after names like Michael Crabtree and Jamaal Williams. Those who took a chance on him were rewarded handsomely, as he was fantasy’s WR12 from Week 5 on. His 8.75 targets per game were 10th in the NFL in the regular season, and if the Super Bowl taught us anything, his massive role in New England’s offense isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
Edelman’s consistency is what sets him apart. The average catch rate of NFL receivers since 2013 is 62.7%; Edelman’s is 71%, which trails only Jarvis Landry and Golden Tate in that span among players with as many targets as Jules. The crossing route over the middle was Edelman’s best friend in 2018, as he was targeted more on this route than anyone else in 2018, and generated a 110.5 passer rating on those routes. In year two post-ACL recovery, timing with Tom Brady only continues to improve, and the two seem destined to continue making sweet fantasy music into the 2020s.
With Chris Hogan, Phillip Dorsett, Cordarrelle Patterson and potentially Rob Gronkowski all departing, Edelman is The Wolf’s WR14 on his latest 2019 Big Board. Brady’s No. 1 target should be viewed as a strong WR2 option heading into next season.
