Schefter: A.J. Brown won’t need ankle surgery

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.

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.

As are A.J. Brown (ankle) and LT Will Campbell (knee). It’s a rare day where all the injury news went right for a team. We can’t imagine Henderson will be in large for a particularly big backup role behind Rhamondre Stevenson, but the fact that a player the Pats didn’t even really “need” for Week 6 is giving it a go suggests he is close to regular health. Henderson is a boom/bust FLEX option. Inactive for the Patriots are CB Carlton Davis, CB Karon Prunty, QB Behren Morton, CB Channing Canada, OT Dametrious Crownover and TE Tanner Arkin.

Brown was activated from injured reserve this week and will suit up versus the Jets. It was reasonable to expect some sort of snap count in his first game back, but it sounds like Brown will be a full-go after looking great in practice this week. In desperate need of a true WR1 to step up, the Pats should pepper Brown with targets this week. He is back in the fantasy WR2 ranks after the lengthy absence.

Brown makes his return from a four-game absence following a Week 1 injury to his ankle, reintegrating into an offense that has found their stride in recent weeks. After leading the league in turnovers through the first three games, quarterback Drake Maye has accounted for a league-leading eight touchdowns since Week 4. Although Brown could be on a snap count in his first game back, fantasy managers have to be feeling ecstatic to get their second round pick back on the field.

Brown returned to practice this week after going on injured reserve with a high-ankle sprain. While nothing is official yet, it’s a great sign that Rapoport is anticipating a return for the 29-year-old wide receiver in Week 6 against the Jets. Brown may not play a full complement of snaps in his first game back, but is still essentially a must-start for fantasy managers.

Patriots coach Mike Vrabel said they’d make the decision on whether to activate him off injured reserve on Saturday, so at least Brown won’t be a game-time decision. Brown can be started with confidence if he’s active, though he’d potentially be in line for a pitch count to the point where he’d be more of a WR2 than a WR1 in his return.

Brown was a limited participant on Wednesday. He is reportedly taking a “one step at a time” approach to his return. We’ll see how his ankle responds to Thursday’s limited practice “with full shoulder pads.” Per Brown, the team is not rushing him back and will keep the long haul in mind when deciding whether to activate him. The Patriots (3-2) are in second in the AFC East.