Should You Draft Eddie Royal And Julian Edelman

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This time of year is an odd one. There are games, but they mean nothing. Over the past few seasons it seems that the preseason has less meaning than it has in the past. Most of the game action features the starters for a bit, then mostly the backups and guys that are trying to make the team playing their faces off. But this year I have noticed a trend that I haven't in the past. Some teams are sitting many of their most important players in a variety of situations. Some have been held out altogether so far, and some have gotten to that point. So how do you proceed with your drafting when you don't know what's going on? Let's try to find out together.

Two players that can have some serious implications for your PPR Fantasy teams are Eddie Royal and Julian Edelman. Both of these players are in positive expectation situations this season. Edleman has been a great PPR receiver for a few years now. Royal has had flashes, but is primed to see more balls in his direction this season than last. Both of these guys are listed as out with injuries, possibly for the rest of the preseason. So should you draft them? Maybe.

One point of consideration is the fact that both of these guys play for teams that have some apparent serious injury concerns at the wide receiver position. Kevin White is out for a large portion of the season, if not all. Alshon Jeffery has an ankle injury. Brandon LaFell is apparently just getting out of a walking boot. The Patriots situation is so dire, they just signed a 37 year old receiver, Reggie Wayne, to a decent money deal.

The Patriots are not known for being particularly forthcoming on their injury situations. There have been some rumors and tweets about what people have seen at their practices. Even the players don't say much. Edelman was asked about the extent and severity of his injury this week, and directed the reporters to talk to Head Coach Bill Belichick.

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Similarly the Bears were coy with the extent of the injury to White earlier this year. They said he had shin splints right until the time at which White had surgery on his stress fractures in his shin bone. So Bears Coach John Fox is not always the most trustworthy of injury consultants. The word right now on Royal is that he is day to day.

My take on the situation is that we are watching two teams protecting two of their remaining healthy offensive assets from the rigors of meaningless games and contact. With already depleted resources, it seems the narrative of these injuries points to making sure that the offense has what top line players are left healthy to open the season.