Patriots best and worst offensive player rankings by PFF will surprise you

When reflecting on the Patriots 2023 season and looking over the roster, it seems apparent to nearly everyone who is performing the best and who is not. That becomes a bit more tricky for some who believe a losing record indicates an overall poorly performing team, but that couldn't be further from the truth.

Much like any other professional sport, a win/loss record doesn't tell the entire story about a team. The Patriots may have a 2-8 record heading into Week 12, but that is not a direct reflection on the performances of every individual who steps on the field for the team.

That's exactly why informational websites like Pro Football Focus are beneficial in providing us with an all-encompassing look at how a player is performing beyond what we see on the box score. And even though it seems clear who the best and worst players on the Patriots are this year, the highest and lowest-rated players may actually surprise you.

BEST GRADES

It might be difficult for some to even remotely consider anyone performing well, but the top-5 highest-ranked Patriots are an interesting group.

• TE Pharaoh Brown: 92.8
  
• OL Trent Brown: 81.4
  
• WR Demario Douglas: 78.7
  
• OL Conor McDermott: 73.0
  
• RB Rhamondre Stevenson: 70.5

Who would have thought before the 2023 season that a tight end named Pharaoh Brown would be the highest-graded player on the entire New England team?

On top of that, considering the amount of struggles the offensive line has dealt with, it's incredible to see Trent Brown come in second. But since returning to left tackle, he has been the most consistent lineman by far in his seven games played, a significant improvement from where this team looked early on.

One member of the list that isn't surprising to see highly graded is rookie Demario Douglas, who flashed in training camp and the preseason before seemingly locking up a roster spot much earlier than most rookies have in the past. Other than Kendrick Bourne, who had been having a bounce-back season before his injury, Douglas has been the most consistent weapon for Mac Jones this season, which will hopefully continue through the final seven games.

Conor McDermott and Rhamondre Stevenson finishing the top-5 with grades in the 70s is a bit of good news and bad news.

It's good because they're players near the top of the list, but their scores are pretty low to be listed that high. It's the latest example proving how poorly the offensive has performed collectively this year, especially when a breakout star like Stevenson is on the lower end of the grades.

WORST GRADES

The lowest-graded players seem like it would be a straightforward list, especially with a quarterback, offensive line, and special teams playing as badly as they have been. However, PFF's grades do not entirely reflect that.

Despite his obvious ugly performances thus far, Mac Jones is not graded among the worst on the entire team. In fact, it's Bailey Zappe who holds that title among the quarterbacks who have taken snaps in a game this season.

Joining him are three offensive linemen, which was easy to predict, and rookie wide receiver Kayshon Boutte, which seems a bit unfair for him to be on the list.

• QB Bailey Zappe: 49.2
  
• WR Kayshon Boutte: 45.2
  
• OL Calvin Anderson: 44.6
  
• OL Vederian Lowe: 40.7
  
• OL Atonio Mafi: 29.3

After his weak performance against the Eagles in Week 1, Boutte has been in Belichick's doghouse and didn't return to the lineup until Week 10 against the Colts. He caught one reception for 11 yards, which likely contributed even more to his low grades.

Calvin Anderson, Vederian Lowe, and Atonio Mafi being the three lowest-graded members of the team, will probably not shock a single person. Anderson and Lowe were never meant to be anything more than depth pieces for the line, but because of their continued inconsistent protection this season, both have been on the field far more than they should be.

Mafi deserves a bit of grace, considering he is a rookie and was thrown into an already sticky situation. But the fact he was graded that low and has been on the field in all ten games played so far is concerning still.

Hopefully, by the end of the season, the grades will be much better than they are at the halfway mark. Although the season feels like a complete wash for the Patriots, who are likely fighting for a prime draft pick at this point; it would be good to see some improvement from players on both sides of the grading spectrum, especially since some are projected to become pillars of the team in the future.

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