Schefter: AJB (ankle) looking at 6-8 week recovery

The magic of the previous two games quickly evaporated for the diminutive slot receiver as Hunter Henry and Rhamondre Stevenson stepped into the primary security blanket role for Drake Maye, the latter of whom faced consistent pressure from the aggressive Dennis Allen Bears defense. Starting Douglas on a weekly basis is akin to reaching your hand into a brown paper bag found on the side of the road. It feels exhilarating at the time but you never know what you’re going to get.

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.

Douglas followed up his best game of the season with another best game of the season, as well as the third most receiving yards of his career. His touchdown was a nine-yarder in the second quarter where the Jets’ defense simply afforded Drake Maye too much time. Things could not have been going better for “Pop” until his fourth quarter fumble at the end of a 39-yard catch-and-run. He was the victim of a classic “Peanut punch” from behind. Rather ominously, he was not targeted thereafter, though the Patriots were also in ball-control mode as they worked on draining the clock. That today’s effort came as A.J. Brown was returning from a five-week absence was promising, but the reality is that Douglas’ big box scores are likely to remain pop-up efforts rather predictable and/or weekly occurrences. He’s a shaky WR4 even with byes and injuries in full swing.

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.

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.