New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will look to capitalize on expanded opportunities while catching passes from Drake Maye, who was installed as the team's starting quarterback over Jacoby Brissett heading into Week 6. Polk got off to a slow start early in his rookie campaign but has come around strong lately, commanding 13 targets over his last two games. He played every single offensive snap last Sunday, caught his first career touchdown in Week 2, and almost had another score in Week 5 if not for his foot just barely stepping out of bounds. We don't know exactly what type of role Polk will have in his first game with Maye, but he's trending toward becoming the Patriots' No. 1 receiver. He's worth deploying as a WR3 in deep fantasy leagues, but managers must remember he has a low floor.

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson will start against the Houston Texans in Week 6 with Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) already ruled out. Gibson is on track to make his second consecutive start, but this time, he won't have to worry about Stevenson overtaking him early in the game. The former Commanders running back has the top role in the backfield all to himself, and his versatility as a runner and pass-catcher make him an appealing option in all fantasy leagues, regardless of scoring format. Gibson is averaging 69 scrimmage yards per game over the last four weeks but is still looking for his first touchdown of the 2024 season. It should be noted that the Patriots made a quarterback change this week, replacing Jacoby Brissett with No. 3 overall pick Drake Maye. While Maye is less proven and could face some adversity behind a porous offensive line, he also has higher upside while leading New England's offense. Gibson ranks as a RB3/FLEX in fantasy football this week.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who was the No. 3 overall pick in 2024 and is slated to make his first career start in Week 6 against the Houston Texans, has undeniable upside but is not yet a worthwhile option in most fantasy football leagues. Maye takes over the reins of the Patriots after Jacoby Brissett led them to a 1-4 start, but he could face some initial adversity throwing to an uninspiring wide receiver corps behind one of the NFL's most porous offensive lines. Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is also sidelined this week, leaving New England without one of its most productive offensive playmakers. In the end, Maye, who played a few snaps at the end of Week 4 against the New York Jets, could inject some life into the Patriots' offense but doesn't project to play well enough to justify adding him in redraft leagues.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) will not play on Sunday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Stevenson was unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was not seen at Friday's practice. Even though he will sit out this weekend, head coach Jerod Mayo expressed that this injury is not deemed to be serious and will not sideline Stevenson for an extended period. Fantasy managers should monitor the 26-year-old's status during next week's practices. On Sunday, Antonio Gibson should be expected to serve as the lead running back and should be viewed as a high-volume flex play against a tough Houston run defense.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is not expected to miss a long period of time, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Stevenson did not practice earlier in the week and was also not seen at Friday's practice. Fantasy managers should monitor Friday's injury report, as it will likely provide clarity on his status heading into the weekend. However, the fact that Stevenson has not logged a practice session this week does not bode well for his availability on Sunday. After not finding the end zone during Weeks 3 and 4, Stevenson broke out of his slump last weekend and ran for 89 yards and a score. If Stevenson were to sit out this weekend, Antonio Gibson becomes a viable flex option and should see a majority of the opportunities in the backfield.