DeVante Parker injury update: Latest on Patriots WR for fantasy football Week 3

DeVante Parker has emerged as one of the top wide receivers for the New England Patriots during the 2023 NFL season, giving him fantasy football value. After missing Week 1 due to a knee injury, he made his return to the football field in Week 2 to lead the Patriots in receiving. Despite returning, he's apparently not fully past the injury quite yet.

After a strong performance in his first game of the season, Parker popped up again on the Patriots' initial injury report ahead of their Week 3 game. This theoretically puts his availability in jeopardy, though his recent activity suggests he should be expected to play.

DeVante Parker injury update

DeVante Parker

When the New England Patriots began their Week 3 practice sessions on Wednesday, DeVante Parker was listed as a limited participant with a knee injury. While he was able to complete their Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins with reported injuries, apparently it was enough of an issue at the beginning of Week 3 to limit his practice activity.

Parker then followed that up with another limited session on Thursday and then a full practice on Friday in preparation for their game against the New York Jets, a second consecutive AFC East rival.

The most encouraging update about his availability and potential playing time is that he was officially removed from their final injury report on Friday ahead of their Week 3 game. It seems like he will be active and ready to take on his usual workload, unless he suffers some sort of setback.

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What happened to DeVante Parker?

Parker injury

DeVante Parker spent some of the offseason, as well as the conclusion of training camp and the preseason, recovering from a knee injury. This had him officially listed as questionable for the New England Patriots' Week 1 game against the Philadelphia Eagles. He was a true gametime decision, but was unfortunately unable to play in their 2023 NFL season opener.

Parker earned another questionable designation for their Week 2 game against the Miami Dolphins after recording limited practice sessions all week. This time, he was able to suit up and made an immediate impact in their offense.

Mac Jones found him for six receptions and 57 yards on eight total targets. He will look to build on his solid debut in a Week 3 game against the New York Jets, assuming he's able to avoid any setbacks with his lingering knee injury.

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Managers looking to acquire DeVante Parker should consult the fantasy football trade analyzer first.

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When will DeVante Parker return?

Parker update

The good news for Parker's fantasy football managers is that he already made his return in Week 2 and no longer carries an official injury designation for Week 3. This means he can be safely plugged into fantasy lineups, but his expectations should be properly managed. At best, he makes for a WR3 in a difficult matchup, but he is much more of a WR4/5 in most formats.

Parker will compete for targets with the other Patriots wide receivers, while playing in one of the weakest passing attacks in the NFL. He will also have to matchup against one of the best passing defenses in the New York Jets. Fantasy managers should utilize the Start/Sit Optimizer to explore other opptions this week, though, Parker makes for a decent play in deep leagues.