Here we are. The offseason is quickly coming to an end, and the regular season will be here before you know it. But first, we have the all-important training camp. Rookies for multiple teams have already reported to work, and by the middle of next week, all 32 teams will be on the field in full force.
We've spent a lot of time using the Notebook to take in-depth looks at the shifting circumstances that impact player values every year. Now it's time to regroup, take stock, and reset the roles and competitions that will unfold over the next month.
For those of you who have been diligently following all offseason, this will be a recap. For those who didn't? No better time than the present to start getting ahead of the competition.
This week, we're reviewing new faces in new places. We started on Monday with Backfields in Motion. Today, we'll look at receiving assets . . .
Out Routes at Wide Receiver and Tight End
We saw some premium talent on the move at wideout -- with some of them getting very interesting landing spots.
Instant Chemistry
Wide receiver A.J. Brown did not become a member of the Patriots until June, which meant he didn't get much time to work with quarterback Drake Maye before the end of the team's offseason program.
It was enough time for Brown to make a positive impression on his new teammate.
Maye said at his football camp this week that he feels he has already started to build a connection with Brown and that he plans to deepen it once training camp is underway this month.
"A.J.'s been awesome," Maye told Mike Reiss of ESPN.com. "I'm looking forward to getting to camp and building some chemistry. And I know there's already some there for me. You just gotta throw it near him, and he'll make a play."
The Patriots were willing to wait to make a trade for Brown because they think he and Maye will take the offense beyond where it was with Stefon Diggs as the top receiver in 2025. That being the case, Brown figures to be a big part of New England's offense in 2026 after the Patriots went 14-3 last year and earned a trip to Super Bowl 60.
In 15 games for the Eagles last season, Brown amassed 78 receptions for 1,003 yards and seven touchdowns.
Brown was a top-20 wide receiver each of his four seasons with the Eagles, including top-10 PPR finishes in 2022 and 2023. He should also easily pace the Patriots in targets.
But with New England also adding former Packers wideout Romeo Doubs in the offseason and Brown having missed time in each of the past two years, his early WR8 Average Draft Position (ADP) is closer to his fantasy ceiling than his floor.
Mile High Expectations
Jaylen Waddle was the subject of trade rumors last season, with the Bills and Broncos both mentioned. A few months later, Miami sent him to Denver.
As Footballguy Dave Kluge notes, a healthy Waddle has been elite.
As a rookie, he pulled 142 targets (10th-most in the league) but mostly in short areas, so his efficiency lagged: 42nd in yards per route run, 71st in yards per target. After Miami traded for Tyreek Hill, Waddle's role changed -- fewer targets (116, 24th among receivers) but a much deeper average depth of target, and he shot to fourth in yards per route run and first in yards per target.
Still just 27, Waddle could have his best days ahead, and a fresh setting helps. He joins Courtland Sutton, who's entering his age-31 season coming off his lowest target share since his 2021 ACL recovery. If Sutton stays in a secondary, chain-moving role, Waddle has a clear path to leading Denver in targets -- he can win inside or outside, stretch the field, and create after the catch.
Waddle (WR21) and Sutton (WR33) both carry reasonable price tags, but Waddle looks like the one with real upside to beat his draft slot. In fact, a WR1 outcome isn't out of the realm of possibility this year. I'll be watching camp closely to start getting a feel for how realistic that is.
Same Alpha Role, Different Coast
Mike Evans' resume speaks for itself: 11 straight 1,000-yard seasons before injuries cost him nine games in 2025, tied with Jerry Rice for the longest such streak ever. His 108 career touchdowns rank 10th all-time, and even in an injury-shortened 2024, his 2.3 yards per route run over the past two years ranked 14th among receivers.
The streak broke. The skill didn't.
San Francisco's receiver room needs him. Brandon Aiyuk is gone, along with Jauan Jennings, Kendrick Bourne, and Skyy Moore in free agency. Ricky Pearsall is talented but injury-prone, Demarcus Robinson is a slot piece, and rookie De'Zhaun Stribling is a deep-threat speedster, not an alpha.
OC Klay Kubiak has already called Evans a Hall-of-Fame receiver and the matchup San Francisco wants to feed in single coverage -- that's WR1 talk.
The scheme fit isn't perfect -- Shanahan's offense leans on yards after catch, and Evans managed just 46 after-catch yards in eight games last season -- but Brock Purdy's history of thriving with big receivers over the middle should help bridge the gap.
At WR27 in ADP and a Round 5 price, Evans is a bargain considering he's finished WR2 or better in 11 of 12 seasons, including six WR1 finishes. Injury risk and age are real, and the fit isn't seamless, but that price is paying for his floor while ignoring the potential ceiling.