After a tumultuous rookie season that came with highs, lows, and injuries, the hype for Drake Maye is at an all-time high. Mike Vrabel was brought in as the new head coach, and additions to the offense included Stefon Diggs, Morgan Moses, and each of their first three draft picks. Maye did what he could with a lowly offensive line and uninspiring wideouts, and still managed a rookie season widely respected by the NFL community.
Now going into his second season, ESPN's Eric Moody theorizes Maye is the type of player who could make a jump... at least in fantasy football. Specifically, he lists Maye as a "must-acquire in dynasty", citing his 2024 production as backup. In his first two games, Maye scored north of 40 total points, an average that would rank him as QB6 and just behind OROY Jayden Daniels.
Additionally, Maye having a full offseason with a new coaching staff, which will parlay into a full year under center, is an exciting prospect. With an upgraded line and a more bona fide WR1 in Stefon Diggs, he has all the necessary weapons to improve compared to last season, with one of the more notable additions being Josh McDaniels' return as the offensive coordinator.
Last season, Patriots QBs ranked 25th in the league in pass attempts per game. When McDaniels had complete control of the Raiders in 2022, the team ranked 13th in pass attempts per game, a significant climb. Albeit, he won't have full control of the Patriots like he did in Las Vegas, but there's no doubt he'll be calling the plays for Maye.
More pass attempts mean more passes completed, more yards, and more touchdowns, always a good sign for a fantasy QB.
Drake Maye's potential downside is counterintuitive
As odd as it may sound, the improvement of Maye's line is so significant that it could lead to a drop-off in rushing production. The team added a pair of new tackles, Cole Strange is returning from injury, and while they did lose David Andrews, they added Garrett Bradbury and third-round pick Jared Wilson as replacements.
Maye ranked 16th in rushing attempts by QBs, and it was seldom that those were designed: almost all came from scrambling. Despite ranking in the middle of the pack in attempts, he was second behind only Spencer Rattler with 7.8 yards per rush attempt. Should he have the opportunity for more designed runs in the red zone, Maye could be a top ten QB quite easily.
I made a trade for Maye early in my dynasty season, and it paid dividends. With 11.4 points in the first quarter before his concussion against the Jets in Week 8, the promise reached its peak. Even after the injury, though, he continued to be a productive option.
While fantasy owners may want to acquire another proven option under center along with Maye, the addition of the second-year QB could give your team some major juice if he can make the jumps that the Josh Allens and Joe Burrows of the league have made before him. Between the more knowledgeable staff, better weapons, and natural ability he possesses, Maye should be atop the big board of young players to acquire this fantasy offseason.