New England Patriots

The state of Louisiana has dropped the underage gambling and computer-fraud charges against New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, according to Boutte's attorney. Boutte was arrested in January after he was alleged to have taken part in illegal sports betting during his time in college at LSU. It's great news for the 22-year-old that charges have been dropped, as he now is unlikely to be suspended in 2024 by the NFL. The Patriots selected Boutte in the sixth round (187th overall) last year, and he finished his rookie year in the NFL with just two catches on seven targets for 19 yards in five games played. New England's pass-catching corps is looking for someone to step up in a starting role in head coach Jerod Mayo's first year at the helm in 2024, but Boutte will have to perform in training camp to earn his spot on the active roster heading into Week 1.

New England Patriots rookie second-round wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk really impressed in offseason workouts and has a realistic chance to become the team's No. 1 wideout to open the 2024 campaign if Kendrick Bourne (knee) needs more time to recover from his ACL tear in 2023. Polk was the No. 37 overall pick in April's NFL draft not because of his speed or his size, but because he's reliable. The former Washington Husky blocks well and always knows where to be to help out his quarterback. The 22-year-old slowly started working with the offensive starters in OTAs and was a steady, reliable target in minicamp. Because of Bourne's injury and the lack of overall depth on the Patriots' WR depth chart, Polk has a real opportunity to early lots of early targets in training camp and to start his rookie season. He's probably not going to be drafted in standard 12-team redraft leagues, but Polk is a name to keep an eye on this summer.

The New England Patriots tried to trade into the end of the first round of April's NFL draft for a wide receiver, according to multiple NFL sources, but they eventually settled on Washington's Ja'Lynn Polk at No. 37 early in the second round. Polk's toughness and relentless mentality reflected well on the culture that executive vice president of player personnel Eliot Wolf and first-year head coach Jerod Mayo hope to create. The 22-year-old's toughness and physicality have stood out since his days in high school. He caught 69 passes for 1,159 yards and nine touchdowns with the Huskies in 2023 and has a chance to carve out an immediate niche role in New England's receiving corps in his rookie season. Mayo referred to Polk as a "self-starter." Polk will probably go undrafted in most single-year fantasy leagues, but he's a name to watch in training camp this summer.

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas has reportedly looked like the best and most explosive playmaker this spring. The former sixth-round pick was impressive during his rookie season with the Pats last season. He finished with 49 receptions and lead the team with 561 receiving yards in 14 games. The Pats failed to add much depth this offseason, which means Douglas should have a similar role once again. The hope is that the Pats offense is better under head coach Jerod Mayo and offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt. Douglas is worth a look in the later rounds of PPR fantasy drafts.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson agreed to a four-year, $36 million contract extension on Thursday, according to NFL insider Ian Rapoport. The deal includes $17 million guaranteed. While the team can get out of the deal early and less than half of it is guaranteed, this is still a sign that the organization views him as the clear leadback. The 26-year-old enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2022, racking up over 1,400 yards from scrimmage and six touchdowns in 17 games. He was limited to just 12 games and 857 yards in 2023, but he should be healthy heading into his fourth pro season. While Antonio Gibson might get work behind him in the receiving game, both running backs could see plenty of targets given the weak group of pass-catchers Drake Maye and Jacoby Brissett have to work with. Stevenson is likely an underpriced RB2 for 2024.