Fantasy football isn't always a true reflection of what actually happens on the field. A quarterback can have a turnover-riddled game with multiple losing plays and still be a league winner for his fantasy owners.
However, projections are usually a great predictor of how an offense or a player might fare. As such, New England Patriots players should feel ecstatic about the consensus surrounding Drake Maye ahead of the season.
According to Bleacher Report, Maye is currently ranked No. 3 among quarterbacks behind only Lamar Jackson and Josh Allen, respectively. Being in the company of two former MVPs is a great omen, and it can only mean this offense will put up a ton of points in 2026.
The Patriots' passing game might be among the best in 2026
Despite not having the best supporting cast, Maye did pretty well in his first full season as a starter. He was the MVP runner-up after passing for 4,394 yards, 31 passing touchdowns, and 8 interceptions.
He completed nearly 72 percent of his passes and added 450 rushing yards and four rushing touchdowns.
That's a pretty solid baseline, and he's already set a steep standard for his second season under Josh McDaniels' offense. Like most young quarterbacks, one should expect him to take another step forward with another full training camp to work on his flaws, add more layers to his game, and take better ownership of the system.
Then, adding Romeo Doubs and a true superstar like A.J. Brown to the mix should only make life easier for him. He'll have one of the most dominant go-to guys to feed downfield in every dropback, and that cannot go overlooked.
The Patriots' offensive line is still a work in progress, though there are reasons to feel excited about it. With improved pass protection, the sky is the limit for a young man who has already shown that he can make every throw in the book and use touch or strength depending on what the play calls for.
Again, big numbers don't necessarily mean this team will win many games, but fans can definitely expect an electric passing game. With a tougher schedule, they might need to rely on their quarterback or play from behind more often, and that should only set the table for Maye to deliver — both in real life and for fantasy football coaches.
For what it's worth, he finished the 2025 season as QB2 overall, averaging a whopping 20.7 points per game, per Pro Football Network. Only Josh Allen (22.0 PPG) averaged more than him.
Drake Maye is polarizing, but the talent is obvious
The Patriots and their fans have heard it all about their No. 3 pick. Some argue he's overrated and point to his postseason struggles as the primary reason for regression, whereas others acknowledge that he can light it up and put up points in a hurry.
Oftentimes, the truth is somewhere in between. Maybe he's not an MVP-caliber guy at this point in his development, but he's got all the physical traits and the relentless work ethic to be one of the all-time greats.
The jury is still out on the former UNC signal-caller, but the expectations are clear. For better or worse, the fans should expect plenty of fireworks and big plays in 2026. Hopefully, those will also come with another double-digit-win season and a deep postseason run.
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