A.J. Brown enters the 2026 NFL season as the clear No. 1 wide receiver for the New England Patriots following his June trade from Philadelphia, where he posted four straight 1,000-yard campaigns including 78 receptions in 2025. With Drake Maye at quarterback, analysts project Brown for a 25% target share and roughly 130 targets over a full season, supporting expectations around 80-85 receptions if he maintains his career catch rate near 65%. The 29-year-old is managing a degenerative knee condition but has appeared in at least 15 games in three of his last four seasons, and Patriots staff have expressed confidence in his physical readiness for a full workload. New England’s passing attack should feature him as the primary option opposite other skill players, though the team’s overall volume and efficiency will influence his final total in a 17-game schedule.