The New England Patriots made a concerted effort to put Drake Maye in a better position to succeed in 2025 by bringing in a proven play caller, retooled the offensive line, and signed a former All-Pro wide receiver this offseason.
This has one NFL analyst believing the ‘sky is the limit’ the Patriots QB entering his second season in the NFL.
Drake Maye Named a Potential Breakout Fantasy Football Candidate in 2025
Alex Kay of Bleacher Report recently named five quarterbacks to prioritize who are available late in your fantasy football draft entering the 2025 NFL season and named Patriots QB Drake Maye as one of those breakout candidates.
“Maye had plenty of bright spots during a largely trying 2024 season. After taking over as the full-time starter in Week 6, the UNC product went on to average 15.4 points per game,” Kay wrote. “Other factors are working in Maye’s favor as well. He’s coming off his first full offseason preparing as the team’s QB1. The Pats have one of the easiest schedules in the league following their disappointing 4-13 finish. The return of Josh McDaniels—the offensive coordinator who coaxed a Pro Bowl season out of Mac Jones—represents a major schematic upgrade from last year.”
Maye averaged an absurd 7.8 yards per carry over his 54 carries in 2025, which placed him among the most efficient runners at the QB position in NFL history with more than 50 carries in a season. This rushing ability is what can make dynamic dual threat quarterbacks — like Lamar Jackson, Josh Allen, and Jayden Daniels — a fantasy cheat code.
Maye’s average of over 30 rushing yards per game came with no designed QB runs, which suggests he could be a candidate to all quarterbacks in rushing yards in 2025 if new offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels dials up an occasional rushing play for Maye in 2025.
Do the Patriots Have Enough Talent at WR for Drake Maye to Realize His True Potential in 2025?
Maye’s rushing ability is a part of his fantasy breakout equation but any sustained fantasy success will largely come from how productive he can be as a passer in this New England offense.
Kay added, “Other factors are working in Maye’s favor as well. He’s coming off his first full offseason preparing as the team’s QB1. The Pats have one of the easiest schedules in the league following their disappointing 4-13 finish. The return of Josh McDaniels—the offensive coordinator who coaxed a Pro Bowl season out of Mac Jones—represents a major schematic upgrade from last year.”
Despite the potential issues that could come with a young signal caller having to change offensive coordinators so early in their career, McDaniels’ success as a play caller feels like a positive for Maye entering the season.
Another factor working in Maye’s favor are the improvements along the offensive line with the additions of Will Campbell, Jared Wilson, and Garrett Bradbury. The Patriots QB had a pressure rate of 19.9%, which could go down if the second-year quarterback continues to get the ball out of his hand quickly.
Last year, Maye registered an average pocket time rating — which is the average time a quarterback has in the pocket between the snap and either throwing the ball or pressure collapsing the pocket — of 2.3 seconds. Amongst full-time NFL starters, only Tua Tagovailoa, Baker Mayfield, Joe Burrow, and Aaron Rodgers were faster in 2024.
Reports have been encouraging about Stefon Diggs this offseason. Sure, he may not be capable of playing at his former All-Pro level in 2025, but Diggs should give Maye a reliable go-to option at WR in passing situations. Yet, the options past Diggs and Hunter Henry don’t feel all that exciting.
Names like Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, and Mack Hollins will be competing for targets as a third option in the passing game — which could cap the fantasy ceiling of Maye if none of these receivers emerge as a consistent producer.
The path for Maye to have a breakout fantasy season is real, but will likely be capped by the lack of weapons in the passing game in 2025.
‘Sky is the Limit’ for Patriots QB Drake Maye in Fantasy Football