Quarterback · New England Patriots
Drake Maye — 2026 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis by Shawn Childs, from his 2026 guide — his words, unedited.
The case
- · Maye finished 7.40 fantasy points behind Josh Allen in four-point passing touchdowns formats in 2025, and his ADP is much more favorable than Allen’s this year (over two rounds of value). In the NFFC (six-point passing TDs), Maye outscored Allen by 6.60 fantasy points.
- · The Patriots added WR A.J. Brown, giving New England a proven WR1, who at the very least will draw plenty of attention from defenses.
- · Maye led the NFL in completion rate (72.0%) and QB rating (113.5), which is even more exciting when adding that he gained a league-high 8.9 yards per pass attempt. New England only had two receivers catch over 50 passes in 2026 (Stefon Diggs – 85/1,013/4 and Hunter Henry – 60/768/7).
- · Romeo Doubs also improves the Patriots’ wide receiver depth.
Question marks
- · Maye was sacked 47 times last year. Their offensive line should be better this year (T Caleb Lomu was drafted in the first round, and New England signed G Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year deal for $42 million).
- · T Will Campbell must play better in his sophomore campaign (fourth overall pick in 2025).
- · The Patriots only threw the ball 50.4% of the time last year. They have two talent running backs, with talent on their defense.
Shawn's conclusion
Maye makes the players around him better, similar to what Tom Brady did early in his career. His ability to run helps his fantasy floor and consistently factor. A breakout season is sometimes followed by a regression year, but the Patriots’ offensive puzzle pieces look deep with a higher ceiling. Maye is a great value quarterback in the NFFC.
More on Maye
In his second year in the NFL, Maye finished third in fantasy points (406.90) in four-point passing touchdown leagues. He had a floor of 20.00 fantasy points in 14 of his 20 starts (including the playoffs), with his best value coming in five games (28.60, 29.85, 30.10, 29.50, and 35.00), four of which came on the road. Maye went 9-0 away from home before losing a neutral-site game in the Super Bowl.
He passed for over 300 yards in only one contest (380/2) while posting three combined touchdowns in six games. His floor game (14.85 fantasy points) came in Week 5 in Buffalo when Maye failed to score. He had two TDs or more in 70% of his starts.
Maye led the NFL in completion rate (72.0%), yards per pass attempt (8.9), and quarterback rating (113.5) while averaging 28.9 passes per game in the regular season.
In the offseason, the Patriots didn’t add any significant upgrades to their receiving corps. They signed WR Romeo Doubs to help move the changes while drafting TE Eli Randon late in the third round (3.31). New England didn’t bring back WR Stefon Diggs, and second TE Austin Hooper signed with the Falcons.
Maye’s best help this year should come from a longer passing window. New England signed G Alijah Vera-Tucker to a three-year deal for $42 million. The Patriots selected T Caleb Lomu with the 28th overall pick, which may lead to Will Campbell being downgraded to right tackle.
In the early draft season in the National Fantasy Football Championship, Maye is the fourth quarterback off the board with a sixth-round ADP (65). My upgraded thought is about 4,800 combined yards with two touchdowns a game, putting Maye on pace to deliver a top-five quarterback season. His ceiling is tied to his passing window. If the Patriots can shave off about 15 sacks, their star quarterback could reach 5,000 combined yards with a run at 40 touchdowns and the number one quarterback ranking for the year.
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