Rap: A.J. Brown (ankle) out at least four weeks

This feels like a very optimistic questionable after Brown missed the last two practices of the week with a new knee tweak. Brown-reliant managers should be making contingency plans ready for Sunday. “We’ll see when he comes in tomorrow, and we’ll make a decision,” Vrabel said.

Brown has now missed back-to-back practices and is at serious risk of missing Week 8’s game against the Dolphins. Brown’s knee injury was reported as a “flare-up” from a previous knee injury, which is never a good sign for a player. Brown has been dealing with injuries like this for a few years but has always found a way to play through them. While it’s possible he ends up doing so again this week, fantasy managers should begin considering other options in the event he is held out.

The downgrade in participation raises serious questions surrounding his potential availability when the Patriots face the Dolphins in Week 8. Brown had been mostly limited in practice since being activated from injured reserve due to a separate ankle issue, with the absence Thursday marking the first fully missed practice in that window. Fantasy managers will want to monitor his status Friday as they make plans for their weekend ahead. NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported Thursday that the veteran receiver’s absence is due to a “flare up” of a previous knee injury, placing his status for Sunday in doubt.

Setting Brown’s drops aside, Brown still looked like he was working his way back from his high-ankle sprain last week against the Bears. He was laboring through his routes at times, particularly downfield. Targets should continue flowing his way, but Brown is perhaps best viewed as a volume-driven WR2 against the Dolphins in Week 8.

Brown has not yet clicked with his new team after going down with injury in Week 1 and spending the subsequent four games on injured reserve. He committed yet another drop against the Bears after three drops the week prior, this time on what would have been a long gain down the left sideline. Brown’s burst off the line and at the top of routes appears to remain hampered, something both the Patriots and Brown’s fantasy managers hope will remedy in short order. You can’t really sit Brown at this point, but fantasy managers have to be growing impatient of their first or second-round selection. Brown remains a teeth-gritting start ahead of a Week 8 matchup with the Dolphins.

Brown practiced in full on Friday. It is his first time doing so since returning from injured reserve last week. This is great news for his Week 7 outlook. The Bears field a beatable pass defense, setting up Brown for a bounce-back performance after last week’s disappointing showing.

Brown spoke with the media today and there’s no reason to believe he’ll actually miss this game, but he was regarded as “limited” in both sessions this week and it’s fair to wonder if he’s 100 percent just yet after his drop-filled, rough Week 6. He’s best-treated as a WR2 this week — you’re still probably starting him regardless of what the ranking is.

Doubs was ruled out in the third quarter of Week 6’s win over the Jets and will now miss at least the next four games. With the Patriots’ bye not coming until Week 11, the earliest Doubs will be able to return to the field will be in Week 12 against the Chargers. Doubs has caught 14 passes for 261 yards and three touchdowns this season and has been targeted more than four times in just one game. Doubs can be dropped in leagues that don’t allow players to be stashed on IR.

Active for the first time since Week 1, Brown had an even more disastrous outing than that inefficient box score would indicate, as he was charged with at least three official drops and could end up with 4-5 when it is all said and done. One was a potential long score where the ball literally went through his hands. It was unbecoming of a highly-paid No. 1 wideout. Brown also looked stiff moving side to side, and might not be particularly close to 100 percent health returning from his high-ankle sprain. We assume things can only get better from here, but they absolutely have to in Thursday evening’s short-week potential shootout with the Bears’ leaky defense.

Initially deemed questionable, Doubs was ruled out in the third quarter. Doubs landed hard on his shoulder on his first target, which just happened to be a 42-yard touchdown where he broke free along the back line of the defense. Most unfortunate, though he at least tallied the score first. Doubs was evaluated in the blue tent before heading to the locker room. It’s bad news for the Pats and fantasy managers, but at least comes as A.J. Brown is back in the lineup for the first time in five weeks.