The Patriots have signed Cameron Meredith, adding another wild card to one of the league’s deepest receiving corps.
I don’t think this is a huge deal. Very little chance, I think, that Meredith posts top-60 receiving numbers in 2019. I’d put his odds at less than 50 percent of stepping on the field for a regular-season game.
I think the intention here is to bring him in for a look and see if he can start getting back to what he was when he was an emerging talent for the Bears. It’s a speculative signing, and every once in a blue moon you can hit on these.
Meredith shredded his knee in a preseason game in 2017. The Saints signed him to a free-agent deal a year ago, with Chicago declining to match. Meredith didn’t get on the field much for the Saints, and they released him recently.
Now the Patriots are bringing him in for a look. They’ve started by parking him on their PUP list. He’s got to get healthy and learn their offense before there would be any chance of him playing much of a role.
Meredith is 26. If he can get his explosiveness and athleticism back (unlikely but possible) the Patriots could perhaps turn him into a serviceable starter.
Back in 2016, Meredith was one of the most surprisingly receivers in the league. Playing for a lesser Chicago offense, he averaged 14.4 PPR points per game that year – top-20 production.
I don’t see him as worth a fantasy roster spot right now, even in a dynasty format. If he can get his knee right, we’ll see if he can make a team.
| PER-GAME RECEIVING NUMBERS (2016) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Player | St | No | Yds | TD | PPR |
| Antonio Brown, Pitt. | 15 | 7.1 | 85.6 | .80 | 20.5 |
| Jordy Nelson, G.B. | 16 | 6.1 | 78.6 | .88 | 19.2 |
| Mike Evans, T.B. | 16 | 6.0 | 82.6 | .79 | 19.0 |
| Odell Beckham, NYG | 16 | 6.3 | 85.4 | .63 | 18.7 |
| A.J. Green, Cin. | 10 | 6.6 | 96.4 | .40 | 18.6 |
| Julio Jones, Atl. | 14 | 5.9 | 100.6 | .43 | 18.6 |
| Michael Thomas, N.O. | 15 | 6.1 | 75.8 | .60 | 17.3 |
| T.Y. Hilton, Ind. | 16 | 5.7 | 90.5 | .40 | 17.1 |
| Doug Baldwin, Sea. | 16 | 5.9 | 70.5 | .48 | 15.8 |
| Davante Adams, G.B. | 16 | 4.7 | 62.3 | .77 | 15.5 |
| Brandin Cooks, N.O. | 16 | 4.9 | 73.3 | .50 | 15.4 |
| Larry Fitzgerald, Ariz. | 16 | 6.7 | 63.9 | .38 | 15.4 |
| Michael Crabtree, Oak. | 16 | 5.6 | 62.7 | .52 | 15.0 |
| Stefon Diggs, Min. | 13 | 6.5 | 69.5 | .23 | 14.9 |
| Jarvis Landry, Mia. | 16 | 5.9 | 71.0 | .27 | 14.7 |
| Julian Edelman, N.E. | 16 | 6.1 | 69.1 | .21 | 14.6 |
| Amari Cooper, Oak. | 16 | 5.2 | 72.1 | .35 | 14.5 |
| Demaryius Thomas, Den. | 16 | 5.6 | 67.7 | .33 | 14.4 |
| Cameron Meredith, Chi. | 12 | 5.0 | 69.7 | .39 | 14.4 |
| Golden Tate, Det. | 16 | 5.7 | 67.3 | .27 | 14.1 |
| Dez Bryant, Dall. | 13 | 3.8 | 61.2 | .67 | 14.0 |
| Tyrell Williams, S.D. | 16 | 4.3 | 66.2 | .44 | 13.6 |
| Rishard Matthews, Ten. | 16 | 4.1 | 59.1 | .56 | 13.3 |
| Emmanuel Sanders, Den. | 16 | 4.9 | 64.5 | .31 | 13.3 |
| Terrelle Pryor, Cle. | 16 | 4.8 | 62.9 | .33 | 13.2 |
| Kenny Britt, L.A. | 15 | 4.5 | 66.8 | .33 | 13.2 |
| Steve Smith Sr., Balt. | 14 | 5.0 | 57.1 | .41 | 13.1 |
| J.J. Nelson, Ariz. | 10 | 3.0 | 51.7 | .70 | 13.0 |
| Mike Wallace, Balt. | 16 | 4.5 | 63.6 | .27 | 12.7 |
| Willie Snead, N.O. | 15 | 4.8 | 59.7 | .31 | 12.6 |
| Pierre Garcon, Was. | 16 | 4.9 | 65.1 | .19 | 12.6 |
| Jamison Crowder, Was. | 16 | 4.2 | 52.9 | .50 | 12.5 |
| Allen Robinson, Jac. | 16 | 4.6 | 55.2 | .40 | 12.5 |
| Kelvin Benjamin, Car. | 16 | 3.9 | 58.8 | .44 | 12.4 |
| DeAndre Hopkins, Hou. | 16 | 4.9 | 59.6 | .25 | 12.3 |
| Adam Thielen, Min. | 16 | 4.3 | 60.4 | .31 | 12.3 |
| Alshon Jeffery, Chi. | 12 | 4.3 | 68.4 | .17 | 12.2 |
| DeSean Jackson, Was. | 15 | 3.7 | 67.0 | .27 | 12.0 |
| Cole Beasley, Dall. | 16 | 4.7 | 52.1 | .31 | 11.8 |
| Brandon LaFell, Cin. | 16 | 4.0 | 53.9 | .38 | 11.6 |
| Sterling Shepard, NYG | 16 | 4.1 | 42.7 | .50 | 11.5 |
| Marvin Jones, Det. | 15 | 3.7 | 62.0 | .27 | 11.5 |
| Jordan Matthews, Phil. | 15 | 4.9 | 53.6 | .20 | 11.4 |
| Randall Cobb, G.B. | 13 | 4.6 | 46.9 | .31 | 11.4 |
| Marqise Lee, Jac. | 16 | 3.9 | 53.2 | .29 | 11.2 |
| Anquan Boldin, Det. | 16 | 4.2 | 36.5 | .50 | 10.8 |
| Quincy Enunwa, NYJ | 16 | 3.6 | 53.6 | .25 | 10.6 |
| Kenny Stills, Mia. | 16 | 2.6 | 45.4 | .56 | 10.5 |
| Brandon Marshall, NYJ | 15 | 3.9 | 52.5 | .20 | 10.4 |
| Robert Woods, Buff. | 11 | 4.5 | 52.6 | .09 | 10.3 |
| DeVante Parker, Mia. | 15 | 3.7 | 49.6 | .27 | 10.3 |
| Dontrelle Inman, S.D. | 16 | 3.6 | 50.6 | .25 | 10.2 |
| Ted Ginn, Car. | 16 | 3.4 | 47.0 | .25 | 10.2 |
| Mohamed Sanu, Atl. | 15 | 3.9 | 43.5 | .29 | 10.1 |
—Ian Allan