The Patriots selected Washington WR Ja’Lynn Polk in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Polk transferred to Washington following one season at Texas Tech (28-264-2). He proceeded to miss nine games in 2021 with a fractured clavicle. Polk started producing with QB Michael Penix Jr. in 2022. Polk ranked third behind Jalen McMillan and Rome Odunze in all three major receiving categories, though: catches (41), yards (694), and TDs (6). He did lead the group with 16.9 yards per catch. The 22-year-old’s production reached another level in 2023, boosted by several missed games from McMillan. Polk set career highs across the board and popped with a 92-yard TD vs. Stanford. On tape, Polk shows inside/outside versatility and fearlessness over the middle. His hands, body control, and strength allow him to excel in contested situations. Polk also passed the NFL Combine test with an 8.85 Relative Athletic Score. He lands in a New England offense with weak WRs, which presents immediate opportunity -- plus a first-round QB in Drake Maye. We're not especially excited about Polk but will be curious to see how the market treats him. Keep an eye on his rookie ADP heading into your dynasty rookie drafts.
The Patriots drafted North Carolina QB Drake Maye in Round 1 of the NFL Draft. Maye took over as North Carolina’s starter in 2022 and turned in an incredible sophomore season. He racked up 4,321 yards and 38 TDs vs. just seven INTs on a 66.2% completion rate and 8.4 yards per attempt. Maye ranked third among 93 qualifying QBs in Pro Football Focus passing grades, displaying an impressive combination of aggression and decision-making. His 8.4% big-time throw rate – a PFF stat for downfield, tight-window completions – ranked second among those 93 QBs, while his 2.4% turnover-worthy play rate ranked 22nd. Maye’s wrong production took a step back last year: 3,608 yards and 24 TDs. He dealt with an ankle injury, an OC change, and the departure of go-to WR Josh Downs. But Maye still completed 63.3% of his passes at 8.5 yards per attempt and ranked seventh among 95 qualifiers in PFF passing grade. He has ideal size at 6’4, 223 pounds with an explosive release and the arm strength to make any throw on the field. Maye is also a plus athlete, throwing well on the run and rushing for 1,147 yards and 16 TDs over the past two seasons. There are shades of Justin Herbert to Maye’s game; he has that type of fantasy ceiling. To reach it, though, the Pats must upgrade the offense around him. For now, Maye’s looking at a WR corps of Demario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Kendrick Bourne, and JuJu Smith-Schuster. There’s a chance that Jacoby Brissett is the Week 1 starter. Beyond superflex formats, Maye is off the redraft radar.
According to multiple reports, the Bills are sending WR Stefon Diggs to the Texans. Buffalo is also sending a 2024 sixth-round pick and 2025 fifth-rounder to Houston, while getting back only a second-round pick in 2025. Diggs' production fell off late last season after the Bills switched offensive coordinators. Now 30 and in a new offense, Diggs will have to show he's not in decline. He'll add the challenge of splitting targets with Houston's emergent young wideouts. Nico Collins (seventh) and Tank Dell (12th) both ranked among the top 12 WRs in PPR points per game last season, with rookie QB C.J. Stroud. The Diggs addition obviously lowers the target-share ceiling for all three wideouts. We'll also have to see exactly how Houston plans to deploy them. Diggs spent 35.7% of his pass snaps in the slot last year; 34.2% the year before. He topped 30% in that category for three of his four Buffalo seasons, surpassed only by his 2016 sophomore season (62.9%). Collins spent 20.1% of his time in the slot last year; Dell 28.7%. We'd bet on all three moving around the formation some. But Diggs could wind up primarily replacing Robert Woods (55.5% slot) and Noah Brown (39.3%). The trio gives Stroud one of the league's best WR groups and boosts his fantasy upside. The QB already sat sixth at the position in Underdog Fantasy ADP, though. That adds risk to Stroud as a draft target and gives him little room to move up. QB Josh Allen, meanwhile, has lost his top two wideouts (Gabe Davis the other) while adding only WR Curtis Samuel this offseason. The dearth of remaining talent adds risk to his fantasy outlook, though you shouldn't expect the high-level rusher to move significantly down our rankings. As for other affected players: Diggs' departure leaves target share available for TE Dalton Kincaid and Khalil Shakir. His arrival in Houston makes life tougher for TE Dalton Schultz. He already sat just 13th among TEs in best ball ADP, though, and will likely fall further following this trade. Be sure to check our rankings for your format to see all the effects of this high-impact deal.
The Patriots are signing TE Austin Hooper to a one-year deal worth "up to" $4.5 million, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. Hooper is reuniting with OC Alex Van Pelt, who was Cleveland's OC when Hooper was there in 2020 and 2021. Hooper finished 22nd and 30th among TEs in PPR points per game those years and was even less productive the last two in Tennessee and then Las Vegas. The 29-year-old will slot in behind TE Hunter Henry in New England and is not worth rostering in fantasy football.
The Patriots are signing RB Antonio Gibson, according to multiple reports. Gibson primarily served as a receiving back for the Commanders the past two years, averaging 3.0 receptions across 31 games while sharing the backfield with Brian Robinson Jr. He arrives as a potential threat to RB Rhamondre Stevenson's upside. But Gibson's signing might sneakily be good news for the incumbent. Everyone should have expected New England to address a backfield that found Stevenson missing five games last year and Ezekiel Elliott leading the squad in carries and receptions. Gibson opened his career as Washington's lead back before steadily losing work over the past three years. We're not downgrading Stevenson for this addition. He might even turn into a sleeper for 2024 redraft and dynasty leagues, depending on how the market reacts to Gibson. As for Gibson himself, the former Commander remains a late option as a low RB3 to RB5.
The Patriots and WR Kendrick Bourne have agreed to a new three-year deal ahead of free agency. It's a $19.5 million contract with a maximum value of $33 million, according to The Boston Herald's Andrew Callahan. Bourne is working his way back from a torn right ACL suffered this past October but should be ready for the start of the 2024 campaign. He averaged a career-best 50.8 receiving yards per game before going down last year, finishing 35th among WRs in PPR points per game. That feels like Bourne's ultimate fantasy upside this year. We'll see what else the Patriots do at WR this offseason, but Bourne is just a late-round option in early fantasy drafts.
The Patriots and TE Hunter Henry have agreed to a new three-year contract, NFL Network's Mike Garafolo reports. Henry was scheduled to hit free agency next week but will now remain in New England under new HC Jerod Mayo and OC Alex Van Pelt. Henry posted a 42-419-6 line across 14 games last year, finishing 15th among TEs in PPR points per game. He ranked 14th in Pro Football Focus receiving grade and 26th in yards per route run among 33 qualifying TEs. The 29-year-old could still be a fantasy asset in 2024. His value will largely depend on what New England does at QB and WR this offseason.
UNC QB Drake Maye measured in at nearly 6'5, 223 pounds at the NFL Combine. He declined to throw or complete athletic testing. Per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport, Maye "impressed" in team interviews. There was certainly a lot to show off in 2022, when the now-21-year-old burst on the national stage. He showed NFL-caliber arm talent en route to a 4,321-38-7 passing line. His play plateaued last fall when WR Josh Downs jumped to the NFL. Still, Maye’s 2023 tape showed enough to keep us interested in him as a future top-12 fantasy QB. See where he lands in the pre-draft dynasty QB rankings.
UCF WR Javon Baker clocked a 4.54-second 40-yard dash at the Combine on Saturday. It's not a bad time for the 6'1, 202-pounder, but it was slower than we expected to see from a guy who averaged 17.5 yards per catch for his college career and 21.9 yards per catch last year. There are, of course, other ways to win downfield besides pure speed. Baker's downfield ability should still be respected -- and we still have him highlighted as a potential sleeper. We'll see if the 40 time impacts his draft stock.
The Patriots named Alex Van Pelt their new OC under HC Jerod Mayo. Van Pelt spent the last four seasons as Cleveland's OC, although he didn't call plays for the Browns. Van Pelt did call plays for the Bills way back in 2009. That team finished 30th in total yards and 28th in points under QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards. Van Pelt worked as QBs coach for the Bucs, Packers, and Bengals in between his OC stints and is expected to bring a West Coast offense to New England. We'll see what the Patriots do at QB this offseason. They hold the third overall pick and will have a crack at USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, and/or LSU's Jayden Daniels.
Patriots WR Kayshon Boutte was arrested for allegedly placing more than 8,900 bets while underaged with a fake account, according to NOLA.com's Wilson Alexander. At least six of those bets were placed on the LSU team Boutte played on. We'll see how the Patriots and the NFL respond to these allegations, but Boutte had very little dynasty value to begin with. He fell to the sixth round of the 2023 draft and caught just two balls as a rookie.
The Patriots are set to hire Jerod Mayo as their new HC, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Mayo has been a lifelong Patriot. He was drafted by the team in 2008, played all eight seasons of his career in New England, and then spent the last five years as their inside LBs coach. The team had reportedly been planning for Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick for a while. We'll see what changes Mayo makes to the rest of the coaching staff, particularly whether he keeps OC Bill O'Brien.
The Patriots and HC Bill Belichick are mutually parting ways, according to multiple reports. That will end a run of 24 seasons, nine Super Bowl trips, and six titles. Of course, none of those championships came without QB Tom Brady on the field. ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Belichick wants to continue coaching and that there will be interest. He singles out Atlanta as a potential landing spot. Washington has also been mentioned as a possibility for Belichick. We'd just like to see any team that hires Belichick give someone else control over player personnel. The Patriots' roster deteriorated post-Brady, especially on the offensive side. And the offensive skill-position players were often limited even throughout the glory years. As for what's left in New England, the Patriots should be looking for a new QB this offseason after benching Mac Jones for Bailey Zappe late in the year. The Pats could use pass-catching upgrades as well, though we'll see how much the salary cap and draft picks allow them to do. This isn't likely to be an offense that excites anyone in 2024, regardless of who arrives as the next coach.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (knee) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Jets. Mike Gesicki will get another game as New England’s lead TE. He’s caught six of eight targets for 50 yards and 1 TD with Henry out the past two weeks.
Bills WR Stefon Diggs remained a non-factor in Sunday’s close win over New England. Diggs managed only 26 yards, meaning he’s now been held under 50 in four straight. Note: Josh Allen really struggled through the air with only 169 yards on 15-of-30 passing. After the game, HC Sean McDermott was asked if Diggs’ dip in production was concerning. “It is. I mean, he’s our No. 1 receiver,” McDermott said. “Whether teams are trying to take him away or they’re getting the ball spread around and things we can do better offensively. I know this, anytime a quarterback is going through his progression, that’s the right way to go through it, right? And the ball finds the open player, so he’s going to be fine.” OK. Diggs will close out the regular season at Miami, but the real question is where to slot him in 2024 rankings following a second-half slump. We’ll have 2024 redraft rankings/projections available before the Super Bowl.
Patriots S Kyle Dugger (illness) is active for today's game against the Bills. None of the other questionable defenders turned up inactive, either. Use Patriots defenders as planned in your IDP lineups.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (knee) is inactive for today’s game vs. the Bills. That again leaves New England with TEs Mike Gesicki and Pharaoh Brown. Neither is a viable fantasy play.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (knee) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable for Sunday’s game vs. the Bills. We’re projecting Henry to play, but the knee issue adds risk to his fantasy profile.
The Patriots placed RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) on IR. He'll end up missing the final five games of the season. Stevenson got off to a brutally slow start this year, averaging just 60 total yards over his first eight games. He got rolling over his final three healthy games, though, averaging 91 rushing yards per game on 5.5 yards per carry plus 4.0 catches and 21.7 receiving yards per game. We'll see what New England adds to the backfield this offseason, but Stevenson figures to play a significant role again in 2024. Ezekiel Elliott will finish out this season as the Patriots' lead back. See where he sits in the Week 17 RB Rankings.
Patriots TE Hunter Henry (knee) got in a limited practice on Wednesday. That gives him a shot to return for this weekend's game vs. the Bills, although Henry would be just an emergency fantasy play. We'll keep you updated on his progress.
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