Fantasy football impact of New England Patriots signing UDFA WR Jeff Thomas

The New England Patriots didn’t have much of a receiving corps in 2019 but are making moves to improve in that department. They signed Miami wide receiver Jeff Thomas following the 2020 NFL Draft.

Thomas wasn’t very productive in his three seasons with the Hurricanes. He tallied 31 receptions for 379 yards and three scores in his junior year.

Scouting Report

Thomas’ has the athleticism to make big plays, but didn’t put up exciting numbers. His speed and ball tracking make him a dangerous deep threat. He also has a ton of YAC upside. He doesn’t have the best hands though and can struggle against press coverage because of his slight frame.

On tape, he creates chunk plays as a vertical threat, on crossing routes and with wide receiver screens and jet sweeps. He relies on athletic gifts over route acumen, but that can be corrected. His draft profile is bolstered by his potential as a return man, but he’s likely to have his name scratched from some draft boards due to character concerns, despite the talent. — NFL.com’s Lance Zierlein

Fantasy football impact

New England had Josh Gordon and Antonio Brown for limited time last season, but ultimately ended up leaning on Julian Edelman in the passing game. James White was the Patriots’ second leading receiver. That can’t be the case for a second straight year with Tom Brady out of the picture. Thomas will have to compete with Mohamed Sanu and N’Keal Harry for a WR2 spot, but will likely end up as a WR3 or lower on the depth chart.