Demario Douglas — 2026 Fantasy Outlook

Douglas took over as the Patriots' top receiver in his first season, leading to catches (49) and yards (561), though he couldn't find the end zone. His most productive stretch came over a five-game midseason run (4/74, 5/29, 5/55, 6/84, 6/49), offering a glimpse of what consistent volume could look like.

He built on that in 2024, setting new career highs across the board (66 catches, 621 yards, and three touchdowns on 87 targets). The problem is the underlying efficiency. A 9.4 yards-per-catch average signals a diet of short, safe throws, and genuinely impactful days were scarce (7/69, 6/92/1, 4/46/1). Volume of chances is needed for his success to overcome his lack of explosiveness.

The Patriots changed up the usage of Douglas last season, leading to him being a sneaky, overlooked playmaker downfield. He gained a career-high 13.6 yards per catch, thanks to 17.9% of his catches gaining 20 yards or more. Douglas caught 39 of his 58 targets over 21 games for 552 yards and four touchdowns.