New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

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 Houston Texans acquired wide receiver Stefon Diggs in a big trade this offseason from the Buffalo Bills, but after trading for him, the Texans voided the final three seasons of his contract. Diggs will play the 2024 season on a one-year deal worth $22.5 million, so it's essentially an experimental year in his first year in Houston. The 30-year-old could land an extension if he fits well in Houston and remains productive, but it will be interesting to see if the Texans work to reach a new deal with him at some point this season or if they wait until the offseason to assess the situation. Diggs will be motivated to produce in 2024 and moves to another potent offense, although he'll have more competition for targets among Nico Collins, Tank Dell and Dalton Schultz. He'll have a lower fantasy ceiling but should still see enough volume to make him worth a look as a low-end WR2/high-end WR3 in fantasy.

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.

According to Houston Texans quarterback Case Keenum, wide receiver Stefon Diggs has impressed his teammates this offseason. "It's really cool to get back out there and see Stefon on the practice field and to watch him absolutely do some dirty things on some routes that I haven't seen anybody be able to do," said Keenum during his annual youth football camp. "He's a dynamic player, and he hasn't lost a step." Diggs has been one of the league's top wideouts for years, and he finished the 2023-24 campaign by amassing 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns off 107 catches. The 30-year-old will have the luxury of catching passes from C.J. Stroud, an up-and-coming signal-caller, in 2024-25. However, Diggs will have plenty of competition for targets in Houston, so he could have a tough time hitting the 1,000-yard receiving mark for a seventh-consecutive season.

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.