Kendrick Bourne — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Despite seeing just 144 combined targets across 2020 and 2021, Bourne quietly carved out value as a backend fantasy receiver during that stretch. His 2021 season was a career-best across the board (55 catches, 800 yards, and five touchdowns), with a bonus contribution in the run game (12 carries for 125 yards). New England leaned on him as a deep ball threat, resulting in 14.5 yards per catch and 10 receptions of 20 or more yards, five of which went for at least 40. When the ball came his way, he was reliable, catching 78.6% of his targets.

That momentum stalled in 2022 as Bourne appeared to lose the trust of the New England coaching staff. He finished with a quietly productive catch rate (72.9%) but was barely involved, managing just 35 catches for 434 yards and one touchdown. The target distribution told the story. His only game with more than five looks came in Week 16, when Bourne finally broke out for 6 catches, 129 yards, and a score.

His 2023 season offered a fresh start, and through eight games, Bourne was on pace for career highs across the board (47 catches, 406 yards, and four touchdowns projected over a full season). He delivered starting fantasy value in three appearances (6/64/2, 10/89, and 6/63/1) before a torn ACL in his right knee ended his season prematurely for the second time in his career.

His recovery from knee surgery led to an empty 2024 season over 12 games (28/305/1 on 38 targets). Bourne only had one playable outcome (5/70/1). Last season, he flashed in Week 5 (10/142) and Week 6 (5/142) with the 49ers due to some wide receiver injuries. He failed to score a touchdown, and Bourne had one catch or fewer in seven of his 16 games.