New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson has flashed with limited touches in his first four games with the organization. The former Washington Commander has rushed 29 times for 155 yards (5.3 YPC) and caught seven passes for 82 yards (11.7 YPR). Meanwhile, starter Rhamondre Stevenson has averaged just 4.1 yards per carry and 3.8 yards per reception. He has also fumbled in every game this season, leading head coach Jerod Mayo to consider starting Gibson. "That's definitely under consideration," Mayo said. "We can't preach ball security is job security and still have him out there the majority of the time." Ironically, Gibson was often benched in Washington for his fumbling issues, but it sounds like he could be looking at an elevated role soon. Even if he does not become the established starter, there's a good chance he will see more touches given Stevenson's early-season struggles. Gibson is available in over 80% of Yahoo leagues, so fantasy managers needing help at running back should consider adding him ahead of the Week 5 matchup against the Miami Dolphins.

The Athletic's Chad Graff stated on Tuesday that conversations with New England Patriots players and head coach Jerod Mayo indicate that the team believes rookie quarterback Drake Maye is ready to be an NFL starter. However, Jacoby Brissett remains the starter in New England due to the lack of talent in the Patriots' offense. The Patriots are taking a cautious approach to protect Maye and ensure that his confidence does not falter. Ever since training camp, reports have indicated that Maye has been outplaying Brissett. As an NFL veteran, Brissett is better equipped to handle the difficult situation that is the Patriots offense. Brissett has stood no chance behind the Patriots' O-line in 2024. He has only managed to throw for 536 yards and two touchdowns. He has also been sacked 15 times in four games. Maye himself was sacked twice on one drive in limited action in Week 3. NFL fans will likely see Maye as the starter at some point in 2024, but the Patriots appear to have no interest in rushing that process.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught two of his three targets for 12 yards during Sunday's loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Henry had a huge performance back in Week 2, but if you exclude that contest, he's averaging just two catches, 13 yards, and zero touchdowns per game. The veteran tight end is a talented player, but he simply doesn't command enough volume in the Patriots' subpar offense to justify starting him in most fantasy leagues. In fact, Henry can be dropped to waivers in leagues with 14 or fewer teams. There's always a chance he'll find the end zone in a given week, including next Sunday versus the struggling Miami Dolphins, but the odds are relatively slim and you're better off taking a flier on a different tight end with more upside. Henry falls outside the top 24 tight ends for fantasy football in Week 5.

New England Patriots tight end Austin Hooper caught two passes for 13 yards and a touchdown during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Hooper's touchdown came on fourth down as quarterback Jacoby Brissett sold the hand-off and found his tight end wide open near the goal line. Although he's the Patriots' No. 2 tight end behind Hunter Henry, Hooper has still put together a solid start to the season, catching six passes for 68 yards and the score. He'll continue to make an impact on offense but can be avoided in most fantasy leagues given the Patriots' subpar offense and his role behind Henry.

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas caught all three of his targets for 13 yards during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Douglas had caught seven passes for 79 yards back in Week 4, so there was optimism that he might be able to build on that effort this week against the Niners. Instead, his target total declined and he delivered an underwhelming fantasy performance. Unfortunately, the Patriots don't have enough passing and scoring opportunities to make Douglas a reliable fantasy option. Jacoby Brissett is averaging just 15.1 completions and 0.5 passing touchdowns per game, so when you divide those numbers over a large group of capable wide receivers and tight ends, you're left with a bunch of depth players who lack much fantasy value, outside of an occasional breakout game. That's the case with Douglas, who has either gone under 4.5 fantasy points or over 14.5 fantasy points in all four of his games this season. He's too dependent on volume in an offense that can't consistently support a player like that. Douglas ranks as a fantasy WR5 going forward.