The New England Patriots will let veteran quarterback Tom Brady rest on Thursday, meaning Ryan Mallett is likely to get the start in the team's preseason opener against Washington, according to Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald. Brady, who took over as the starter in 2001, is among the best quarterbacks in the league, yet he's only sat out of three preseason openers in his career.
Tom Brady will sit out preseason opener, but he’s not injured
Fantasy owners of Tom Brady: don’t worry yourself over the fact that he’ll miss the season opener. He’s just sitting out, and Ryan Mallett is starting. We break down the fantasy implications.
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Mallett is a third-round pick from 2011 and is entering the final season of his rookie contract. He’s been floated as a potential trade candidate for the past few seasons, but hasn’t made much of an impression in the preseason thus far. Fortunately, Mallett has had the best training camp of his career this summer, so good things are expected of him Thursday.
Fantasy Impact: Mallett could wind up starting at some point in the near future -- for a team other than the Patriots -- so there’s probably some mild fantasy interest in this game. Mostly, though, it will be Brady fantasy owners who are disappointed by this. Obviously, Brady isn’t a guy who needs the time, but it’s always exciting to see them get out there for the first time. We have to stress that Brady isn’t injured in the slightest.
