Julian Edelman's Instant Fantasy Reaction After Preseason Game vs. Panthers

Although there are a lot of moving parts in the New England Patriots offense in 2014, Julian Edelman once again proved Friday night why he is a surefire No. 2 fantasy football receiver.

Against the superb Carolina Panthers defense in the always-critical preseason Week 3 contest, all Edelman did was reel in eight receptions for 99 yards to lead the team in both areas.

The performance is not some anomaly or one-hit wonder. Now going into his sixth year, the Kent State product brought in 105 passes for 1,056 yards and six touchdowns last year to score in the top 18 at his position.

Last week, Edelman was the lone wideout among many names that muddy the fantasy waters in New England to stick with Tom Brady throughout, as Rotoworld's Adam Levitan details:

It all goes to show why owners have Edelman at an average draft position of 6.07 as the No. 27 wideout off the board in drafts. That number is sure to swell now, but the point remains—he is a superb value.

Look, things are complicated in New England, especially when one Rob Gronkowski returns. But owners cannot accurately predict how many games the star tight end will play (he has missed 14 total the past two seasons), nor can they deny the obvious rapport Edelman and Brady share at all times (don't forget Edelman's contributions on special teams, too).

In the neighborhood of 100 receptions is certainly not out of the question again as Edelman continues to refine his craft. For owners who invest in running backs early or just want to downright never have to think about the wideout position each week, he is an obvious investment at the current market price and perhaps a full round above.

All average draft positions courtesy of FantasyFootballCalculator.com. All scoring info courtesy of ESPN standard leagues. Statistics courtesy of ESPN.