New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye came off the bench to make his NFL debut during the fourth quarter of Thursday's game against the New York Jets. He replaced Jacoby Brissett for the final drive of the game. Brissett had not fared very well behind the Patriots' depleted offensive line, and while Maye was also pressured heavily, he did show flashes of upside, completing four passes and rushing for 12 yards. The Patriots haven't named a starter for Week 4 quite yet.

New England Patriots quarterback Jacoby Brissett completed 12 of 18 pass attempts for 98 yards, zero touchdowns, and zero turnovers against the New York Jets in Week 3. He also took five sacks, which is a clear indication that New England has a porous offensive line. The unit has specifically been bad in pass protection, which has left Brissett with very little time to get comfortable in the pocket and connect with his receivers. The veteran quarterback has done a great job controlling the football (he has zero turnovers through three games), but his overall yardage and touchdown totals are among the league's worst. Brissett was ultimately relieved by Drake Maye in the fourth quarter of Thursday's game, creating some questions about who will start at quarterback in Week 4 against the San Francisco 49ers. Regardless of that decision, Brissett can be avoided in most fantasy leagues moving forward.

New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye has positioned himself as a solid fantasy football waiver wire addition for Week 3. When the Patriots face the New York Jets on Thursday night, Slye is a candidate to exceed his project point total. For starters, the Patriots offense has afforded Slye several opportunities to kick for points this year. He has three extra points through two games and is a solid 5-for-6 on field goals. Furthermore, the Jets are a terrific matchup for Slye. New York has allowed the third-most kicking points to opposing kickers this year. They allowed 49ers kicker Jake Moody to connect on six field goals in Week 1, and Nick Folk nailed a 41-yarder against the Jets last Sunday. Slye should be treated as a fringe top-12 scorer at his position in Week 3, making him a solid streaming option if you're looking to make a change at the kicker slot.

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson has emerged as an intriguing fantasy option ahead of his Week 3 clash against the New York Jets. Gibson was particularly productive last Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks, rushing for 96 yards on 11 carries. Typically viewed as a pass-catcher out of the backfield, Gibson has been almost exclusively used on the ground with the Patriots this season. He offers great burst and change of pace behind lead back Rhamondre Stevenson. The big concern with Gibson is playing time. He registered a dozen touches last week, but he only played 24 percent of offensive snaps. It's difficult to play less than one-quarter of the snaps and have consistent fantasy relevance. Nevertheless, Gibson proved last week that he's capable of producing fantasy points, putting him on the radar as a fringe top-36 running back this week. Interestingly, for perhaps the first time in his career, he might rank higher in standard leagues than in PPR formats.

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk managed to out-snap Demario Douglas last Sunday, but the rookie still lacks reliability heading into Week 3 against the New York Jets. He only got onto the fantasy radar last week because of a touchdown. If not for finding the end zone, he would have had just two catches for 12 yards, which is not starter-worthy production in most fantasy leagues. Given the Patriots' apparent disinterest in throwing the football often, Polk will remain a player whose fantasy value hinges on finding the end zone. With the Patriots' offense not a threat to score major points this year, even touchdowns may be hard to come by, leaving Polk off the radar in most leagues. If you are forced to start him in deeper leagues, know that he's merely a dart throw this week.