Baker was drafted two rounds after fellow rookie Ja'Lynn Polk and will battle Kendrick Bourne, Demario Douglas, JuJu Smith-Schuster and Tyquan Thornton for playing time. We're fine with leaving Baker on the waiver wire early in the year in most redraft leagues because of the crowded receiving room and our general lack of excitement about the Patriots offense. But that doesn't mean Baker, who accounted for 33.8% of UCF's receiving yards in 2023, has no upside. Like Polk, Baker has good ball skills but he has more struggles with consistency in that regard. We're looking for Baker starting in Round 3 of most Dynasty rookie drafts and expect it will take him some time to take playing time away from the veterans in New England. Still, with a wide-open receiving corps like this one it's not unimaginable that Baker eventually wins out over everyone.
Fantasy Stats
receiving
rushing
fantasy
Year
rec
Receptions
yds
Receiving Yards
avg
Average Yards per Reception
td
Receiving Touchdowns
yds
Rushing Yards
avg
Average Yards per Rush
fpts
Fantasy Points
fpts/g
Fantasy Points per Game
2024
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2023
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
2022
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
—
3y Avg.
—
—
0.00
—
—
0.00
—
—
Fantasy News
Patriots' Javon Baker: Two catches Sunday
Rotowire
Baker logged 27 snaps on offense in Sunday's preseason finale against the Commanders en route to catching two of his seven targets for 33 yards in the contest, Mike Reiss of ESPN.com reports.
Baker's roster spot is in no danger ahead of cut downs, but the 2024 fourth-rounder's role in the offense early on this season may not be substantial. For now, DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, K.J. Osborn and Tyquan Thornton are the team's healthy wideouts who will likely slot in ahead of Baker as New England's Week 1 matchup against Cincinnati approaches.
... See More... See Less
Patriots' Javon Baker: Logs one catch Thursday
Rotowire
Baker caught one of his four targets for 12 yards in Thursday's 14-13 preseason loss to the Eagles.
Baker, who recorded 24 snaps in the contest, only hauled in one of his targets, but the 2024 fourth-rounder did manage to get his hands on a couple of other throws, including a diving attempt on a deep ball from QB Drake Maye in the second quarter. Per Chad Graff of The Athletic, Baker has demonstrated boom-or-bust tendencies this summer, but the UCF product does have a chance to grow into a role in the Patriots' pass-catching corps as a rookie, provided he can gain more consistency to pair with his play-making potential.
... See More... See Less
Patriots' Javon Baker: Two catches versus Panthers
Rotowire
Baker caught two of his four targets for 11 yards in Thursday's 17-3 preseason win over the Panthers.
Going forward in his first preseason as a pro, Baker -- who logged 38 snaps on offense in the contest -- will continue to compete for slotting in a crowded and unsettled New England wideout corps that also includes Kendrick Bourne (knee), DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton, Kayshon Boutte and Jalen Reagor. Given that the Patriots took Baker in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft, his roster standing appears solid, but it remains to be seen how steady a role the UCF product -- who has reportedly made some highlight-reel plays in practice this summer -- sees out of the gate this season.
... See More... See Less
Patriots' Javon Baker: Strong training camp start
Rotowire
Baker and fellow rookie Ja'Lynn Polk have made their mark through the Patriots' first six training camp practices, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official site.
With Kendrick Bourne recovering from a knee injury that could limit him early on this season and DeVante Parker no longer in the mix, targets are up for grabs in New England's wide receiver corps this coming season. Baker -- whom the team took in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL Draft -- has made some highlight-reel plays in camp, and the UCF product has a chance to contribute as a rookie if he can parlay his big-play potential into a steady role early on. Such an outcome appears plausible, with slotting in a wideout corps that will continue to feature DeMario Douglas and also includes K.J. Osborn, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Jalen Reagor and Tyquan Thornton still to be determined.