Aaron Dobson

Following a 2014 season in which Dobson was limited to just four games due to injuries, he’s flying under the radar this offseason. Working in his favor as the coming season approaches is that for the second straight draft, the Patriots did not select a receiver. That said, with Julian Edelman, Brandon LaFell, Danny Amendola and Reggie Wayne also in the team’s wideout mix, Dobson is in line to compete for depth chart slotting behind the aforementioned quartet. When healthy, Dobson retains the potential to emerge as a downfield threat for the team, but the 2013 second-rounder has much to prove this summer before resurfacing on fantasy draft radars.

Last year’s second-round pick was hampered by a hamstring injury and a stress fracture in his foot, but he still managed 14.0 YPC and 7.2 YPT for a passing attack that was below average for much of the year. At 6-3, 200 and with 4.43 40 speed, Dobson is one of the two receivers on the team (the other being free-agent signee Brandon LaFell) with the size/speed combo to be a downfield and red-zone threat. (There are only so many eight-yard passes Tom Brady can throw to Danny Amendola and Julian Edelman.) Moreover, Year 2 is when receivers typically break out, provided they’re healthy. To that end, Dobson had surgery to repair the fracture in March, and it cost him time in OTA’s and minicamps, but he is ready to go in advance of the season.

With Wes Welker and Brandon Lloyd gone, Danny Amendola now heads the Patriots' wideout corps. Beyond that, it's an open competition for looks. The 6-3 210-pound Dobson could make a fantasy splash as a rookie, if he is able to master the Patriots' playbook in short order. He's a big-bodied wideout with good hands, who should have an opportunity to contribute out of the gate working the perimeter, while also potentially emerging as a red-zone threat. To that end, Dobson will have to compete for looks with the likes of Kenbrell Thompkins, Julian Edelman and fellow rookie Josh Boyce.