When should you draft Patriots' wide receivers in fantasy leagues?

FOXBOROUGH, Mass. - The most coveted position on the New England Patriots for fantasy owners in 2019 may very well be the wide receivers. With first-round pick N'Keal Harry coming onto the scene, Super Bowl LIII MVP Julian Edelman coming back, and the anticipated return of Demaryius Thomas and Josh Gordon make any fan salivate at what could be for New England's passing game this upcoming season.

You may want to get your hands on one or two of the aforementioned guys in your fantasy league, but be sure not to grab them too early, as getting value in the draft is crucial despite your biases towards a certain team.

Let's take a look at the top fantasy options at the Patriots wideout position and where you should be drafting them in your fantasy league.

1) Julian Edelman

The PPR machine, or as we like to call him, "Julian Edelman" is back in 2019 with no suspensions or injuries to worry about. As Tom Brady's no. 1 target, Edelman should be expected to receive a ton of targets this season especially early on when the newcomers are still learning the offense and Brady no longer has Rob Gronkowski in the fold either.

10-12 targets per game is a definite possibility for the 33-year-old. A little caution should be taken, however, as a decline in his productivity should be expected given his age and wear-and-tear on his body. Though his yardage and touchdown productivity will likely take a hit first, Edelman holds a high-floor in fantasy because of receptions.

Nevertheless, Edelman's ADP in fantasy drafts is at the backend of the 4th round, so grabbing him as your second wideout makes plenty of sense. If he ends up as your WR3 because he slips a bit on the draft board, you're in a really good spot.

2) N'Keal Harry

N'Keal Harry may be the one New England wideout that is drafted too early in fantasy leagues. Not necessarily by normal fantasy owners, but ones with favoritisms towards the Patriots.

There is a ton of hype surrounding the former Sun Devil because New England drafted him in the first round and because of what he brings to the table in terms of ability. His size and YAC ability make him a projected boom-or-bust fantasy option in 2019, but given his red-zone potential because of his frame (6-foot-2, 228lbs) and the absence of Gronkowski make him an intriguing option for your fantasy team.

As of mid-July, Harry's ADP is the backend of round 8, which puts him at WR3/WR4 value. He should by no means be someone that you should intend on starting early in the season, as it will take some time for him to kick the training wheels off and earn enough snaps to be fantasy-dependable every week.

Do not be the person in your league to overdraft Harry.

3) Demaryius Thomas

After years of what felt like constant chatter of a possible marriage, Demaryius Thomas has finally made his way into a Patriots uniform. Too bad it had to happen in his 30s and not during his prime. But don't fret; there is still plenty of fantasy potential for Thomas in New England.

Thomas can still be a productive asset if he can stay on the field. But what's tough to predict is when he will return to the playing field. After suffering an Achilles injury at the end of last season, Thomas is still rehabbing back and the timetable for his return is unknown.

Thomas' ADP put him as a viable draft option in the 14th round, so he will likely be one of the final bench spots on your roster. There's lots of potential for Thomas if he can stay healthy; New England needs another body outside the numbers and Thomas fits that prototype. He could be a great value that late in the draft when he returns to the field.

4) Josh Gordon

We saw what Josh Gordon was able to accomplish last year, and we know how much Brady likes to look his way on the field. The real question that remains - will he be reinstated? And if he does; when?

In the event that he is reinstated, you can expect Gordon to get 6-7 targets per game, which will likely result in 4-5 receptions per game. His yardage totals won't be a lot, because his ability downfield playmaking ability isn't a factor within New England's offense like it was in his tenure with the Browns.

Gordon's ADP has him falling anytime after round 10 because it really comes down to whether the owners in your league believe he will be fantasy relevant at all in 2019. If you're in a deep league, snag him late. If you're in a 10 or eight-team league, he's not worth drafting.