Wide receiver Phillip Dorsett earns the FPC player of the week for his spectacular performance in the season-opening 33-3 victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers. In commanding fashion, the defending Super Bowl Champions executed in all three phases of the game. Although it was an all-around, team win, Dorsett did display the individual value that his speed and reliability can provide.
Dorsett was one of many Patriots that shined throughout the evening, scoring two touchdowns and catching all four of his targets for 95 yards. Quarterback Tom Brady found him open behind the secondary for both scores. The first came on a 25-yard strike from Brady in the second quarter to take a commanding 17-0 lead. The second occurred on the Patriots first drive of the second half to end any semblance of Pittsburgh momentum. Dorsett delivered on a 3rd & 10 by splitting the safeties on a vertical route for a 58-yard touchdown from Brady. In addition to connecting with Dorsett, Brady began the scoring with a 20-yard touchdown to Josh Gordon. The full game recap can be viewed here.
The performance by Dorsett occurred at an interesting time with the recent acquisition of star wide receiver, Antonio Brown. Brown is set to join the already talented, deep wide receiver group of the Patriots. As a result, there has been significant speculation about the impact Brown will have on and off the field. Specifically, many are wondering how this will impact the other wide receivers like Dorsett. Despite his incredible performance, he is the likely candidate to take on a reduced role. However, this timely performance demonstrates that he is a capable deep threat for Brady and the Patriots moving forward. If anything, he provides the Patriots with security at the position in the event of injuries.
Week 2:
The Patriots head to Miami for a divisional match-up with the Dolphins this weekend. The Dolphins will be looking to bounce back from an embarrassing 59-10 loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The spotlight will be on new head coach, Brian Flores, as he coaches against his former team.
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-Drew Deen (@DrewDeen) provides DFS premium content, co-hosts the Garage Guys Fantasy Sports Podcast, and covers the Patriots for Full Press Coverage.
