New England Patriots

New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye can be left on waivers in most fantasy leagues ahead of Sunday's Week 16 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Slye has been relatively mediocre this year, showcasing impressive power but struggling with accuracy on kicks that most NFL kickers would make. All in all, he's 19-for-20 on extra points and 23-for-30 on field goals in 2024. This week, the bad news for Slye is that he faces the Bills, who have allowed the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing kickers in 2024. To further complicate matters, he'll be kicking in Orchard Park, New York, which is known for cold temperatures, wind gusts, and potential snow in the winter months. Any of these weather conditions could affect Slye in Week 16, further reducing his fantasy value. For now, he's a mid-range K2 who lacks fantasy appeal on Sunday.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will get his first taste of December football in Orchard Park during Sunday's divisional matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Maye is coming off a solid game against the Arizona Cardinals in which he registered 202 passing yards, 14 rushing yards, two total touchdowns, and one interception. While the No. 3 pick has been prone to turnovers this year, last Sunday's interception wasn't his fault as a well-placed pass tipped off his receiver's hand and into the arms of a Cardinals. Moving forward, Maye continues to rank just outside the top 12 fantasy quarterbacks. This week's game has a potential high-scoring factor if the Bills take an early lead and force the Patriots to throw the football while playing from behind. However, the Patriots have a shown a reliance on the rushing attack this year, so it's possible that New England's coaching staff looks to shorten the game by putting the ball in the hands of Rhamondre Stevenson and Antonio Gibson more often. Maye's rushing upside is capped against a Bills defense allowing the fewest rushing attempts and 10th-fewest rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks in 2024, but he should still make an impact through the air. Maye is worth starting in two-quarterback leagues, as well as leagues with at least 14 teams.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught all four of his targets for 25 yards during Sunday's Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Henry has been the most productive pass-catcher in the Patriots' offense, and while he did lead the team in receptions on Sunday, his yardage total was lower than expected. This was Henry's worst fantasy performance since Week 10 and just his second-worst showing since Drake Maye took over as the starting quarterback. He also finished with fewer fantasy points than Austin Hooper for the third time in New England's last five games. Fantasy managers should view Henry as a fringe top-12 fantasy option against the Buffalo Bills in Week 16, and he's no longer a must-start option.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne caught all three of his targets for 44 yards during Sunday's Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. Most of Bourne's production came on one singular play: a 37-yard reception that set up the Patriots inside the red zone. Drake Maye and DeMario Douglas connected for a touchdown two plays later. Bourne, 29, has been impressive over his last four games, totaling 14 catches, 183 receiving yards, and one touchdown during that span. The veteran pass-catcher has emerged as one of Maye's favorite targets and might even be ahead of Douglas in the pecking order. He should be viewed as a mid-range WR4 option heading into Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills.

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper caught all three of his targets for 38 yards during Sunday's Week 15 loss to the Arizona Cardinals. The 30-year-old has emerged as a key contributor within the Patriots' offense, averaging 3.6 catches, 47.6 receiving yards, and 0.4 touchdowns per game over his last five contests. Even in his role as the No. 2 tight end behind Hunter Henry, Hooper has started to generate some fantasy buzz, ranking as a fringe top-24 option at the position heading into Week 16 against the Buffalo Bills.