New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

The New England Patriots reportedly hope to sit rookie first-round quarterback Drake Maye behind veteran Jacoby Brissett until their offensive line improves. Brissett barely won the starting gig over Maye in training camp and is starting in the Week 1 regular-season opener on Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Patriots were impressed with Maye's command and knowledge of the offense this summer, but they want to put him in the best position to succeed when they throw him in there, and NFL Network's Ian Rapoport says it will probably be several weeks at least. The 22-year-old third overall selection will be starting games in his rookie year in 2024, but that may not happen right away. When it does happen, the Pats' QB of the future will have more upside than Brissett, but he won't have much to work with on offense and won't be much more than a low-end QB2 option in superflex fantasy leagues.

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson (hip) is anticipated to suit up for Sunday's game versus the Bengals. The former Commander appeared in Thursday's edition of the injury report because of a hip issue, which limited his participation at practice. Fortunately, he felt a little better on Friday, so things were moving in the right direction regarding his availability against Cincinnati. With that in mind, Gibson will be behind Rhamondre Stevenson. However, with questions surrounding the potential of the New England offense, it will be tough for anyone on that side of the ball to do anything meaningful for fantasy managers, at least consistently. Keep Gibson benched in all fantasy setups in Week 1.

New England Patriots kicker Joey Slye should be left on the waiver wire in fantasy football ahead of his Week 1 matchup against the Cincinnati Bengals. There are a variety of reasons why Slye is avoidable, starting with the poor state of the Patriots' offense. New England is projected to finish with the NFL's worst record and might have the worst offense in the league. They will have trouble moving into scoring position this year, leaving Slye with reduced opportunities to attempt kicks. Furthermore, Slye himself has delivered questionable production in the past. He made just 19 of 24 field goals last year and also missed three extra point attempts. If the Patriots don't score many points and Slye can't be trusted to kick field goals, then he should be avoided in fantasy football.

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk will make his NFL debut against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1. A second-round pick out of the University of Washington, Polk could open the year as New England's No. 2 wide receiver. As the preseason wrapped up, both he and K.J. Osborn were competing for that role with Demario Douglas in line to serve as the No. 1 receiver. It's possible that Osborn draws the start given his experience in the NFL, but there's no denying that Polk flashed real potential this summer and will be on Osborn's heels, at the very least. Polk should be rostered in most dynasty leagues but lacks redraft appeal, especially with the Patriots projected to finish last in the NFL this year.

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas has generated some buzz as a potential fantasy starter in deeper leagues for Week 1. As the Patriots prepare for battle against the Cincinnati Bengals, quarterback Jacoby Brissett will likely be looking for reliable options in the passing attack, including Douglas. Brissett will have very little time to throw behind the porous offensive line. Therefore, he could connect early and often with Douglas, who typically runs shorter routes and can be a reliable presence over the middle. Douglas won't rack up major yardage, but he could be a PPR darling with the amount of targets he gets Sunday, especially if the Patriots are playing from behind (as expected). With that said, a lack of bye weeks and injuries this early in the season has left plenty of appealing options at the wide receiver position, lowering Douglas' ranking. He's the top fantasy receiver in New England, though, and is best viewed as a low-end FLEX play in deeper leagues this week.