2025 New England Patriots Fantasy Preview
The New England Patriots entered the 2025 offseason with a clear mandate to rebuild around second-year quarterback Drake Maye after consecutive 4-13 seasons in 2023 and 2024. With new head coach Mike Vrabel, the most cap space in the NFL ($120 million), and nine draft picks, the Patriots focused on bolstering the offensive line, adding playmakers for Maye, and reinforcing the defense.
Maye far exceeded expectations in Year One. Despite playing behind the second-worst pass-blocking line and a questionable group of pass-catchers, Maye showed real promise. In 10 starts where Maye attempted 20-plus passes, he averaged 223.1 passing yards with 15 TD passes and 10 interceptions. He also chipped in another 41 yards with two more scores on the ground. That’s a 17-game pace of 3,793 passing yards, 697 rushing yards, and 29 total touchdowns.
Even better, GM Eliot Wolf invested the No. 4 pick on OT Will Campbell, the premier tackle in the 2025 NFL Draft. Additional reinforcements and the arrival of Vrable bring a renewed sense of optimism to New England for the first time in three years.
Second-round RB TreVeyon Henderson is one of those upgrades for a Patriots’ offense that ranked 31st in 2024. New England’s rushing attack ranked 26th in yards per carry (4.0) and 28th in EPA per rush (-0.08). Henderson’s 8.1 percent explosive run rate complements Rhamondre Stevenson (6-0, 227 lbs, 4.2 YPC) and Antonio Gibson (6-0, 228 lbs, PFF grade: 75.4), forming a dynamic backfield. Henderson is an excellent blocker and offers three-down potential in an ascending offense.
Another significant addition for the club was signing WR Stefon Diggs to a three-year deal. Diggs is coming off a torn ACL but is expected to be ready for Week 1. Diggs brings slot/perimeter flexibility and an alpha mentality to a unit that sorely needed a veteran infusion. Third-round rookie WR Kyle Williams boasts 4.4 speed and excellent downfield ball skills. Williams also scored 14 touchdowns for Washington State and provides much-needed speed on the perimeter. With Diggs and Williams outside, Demario Douglas will remain a consistent source of targets in the slot. Douglas should be a reliable, high-floor source of targets.
Maye relied on his tight ends a ton last year. New offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels prefers versatile tight ends, which bodes well for Hunter Henry, who is coming off a TE11 finish. Henry will likely see more in-line snaps, where he can’t be put in favorable mismatches. New England also re-signed Austin Hooper, who caught 45 balls for 476 yards and three scores last season.
Fantasy Grade: C
There is a lot of hype around Drake Maye after a rookie season that resulted in 17 total touchdowns and 10 interceptions. Maye made a mark as a runner, where he led the league with 7.8 yards per rush. He wasn’t as effective as a passer. In 10 full games, Maye topped 250 yards only twice. He also ranked 30th in adjusted yards per attempt (5.7) and 28th in air yards (190.8/game). But the additions of veteran WR Stefon Diggs and a pair of rookies (RB TreVeyon Henderson, WR Kyle Williams) will help.
After trading Joe Milton, the Patritos signed journeyman Josh Dobbs as a mentor and insurance for Drake Maye, who missed four games in his rookie season with separate hand and head injuries. Dobbs was decent with extended playing time in 2023 and boasts a 103.4 Athletic Score. He performs well as a runner but is more limited than Maye as a passer. If a Maye injury occurs, Dobbs has some QB2 streaming appeal. But he is better off left on the waiver wire.
RB Henderson, TreVeyon, NE [RB1] Sleeper
TreVeyon Henderson dazzled in his freshman year, with 184 carries for 1,255 yards and 15 touchdowns. He added 27 catches for 312 yards and four scores. Injuries and sharing carries with Quinshon Judkins later curbed his role, but his career 77 catches for 853 yards and six touchdowns on 95 targets, paired with a 4.43 40-yard dash, and 91st-percentile Speed Score, showcase his potential. Unfortunately, the presence of Rhamondre Stevenson complicates Henderson’s early role. However, he’s a better runner than Stevenson and had no fumbling issues at Ohio State.
RB Stevenson, Rhamondre, NE [RB2]
New England wanted to add speed to their backfield and did so by adding TreVeyon Henderson with the 38th pick of the 2025 NFL Draft. Stevenson has regressed for two consecutive years. He ranked 39th in yards per touch (4.0) last season, led all running backs with seven fumbles, and ranked 140th with a (-39.1) EPA. Mike Vrabel will likely start with a committee, but Henderson checks all the boxes to emerge as New England’s best back. That makes Stevenson a change-of-pace option with some plus pass-catching and red-zone value.
Gibson was in and out of the starting lineup last season. Overall, he compiled 744 scrimmage yards and a single score on 143 touches (RB47). However, with TreVeyon Henderson now in the fold, it will be hard for Gibson to command enough touches to be fantasy-relevant.
Diggs saw a 52.8 percent slot rate last season in Houston before he tore his ACL. Now 31 and coming off a major knee injury, that inside usage makes sense for the Patriots, who desperately needed wide receiver help. Diggs posted top-20 weekly numbers in four of his eight games last season, catching four-plus balls in every game. Sans much established target competition in New England, Diggs will be the team’s No. 1 wideout. Reportedly, Diggs is running ahead of pace in his recovery, putting him tentatively in a position to be in the lineup in Week 1.
Douglas ran 79 percent of his routes out of the slot last season. But the arrival of Stefon Diggs could push Douglas outside more. If that happens, it will be a downgrade for Douglas, who had a negative separation score from the perimeter. Douglas also had a much better win rate inside (13.9 percent) than outside (8.3 percent). He’s a decent source of targets, but there is far more competition in New England this season. That puts a damper on his potential. Fantasy managers should consider taking shots on players with more ceiling this late in drafts.
At Washington State, Williams showed great speed (4.40) and the ability to defeat man coverage with quick feet and elite route running. In 2024, he broke out with 70 grabs for 1,198 yards and 14 touchdowns on a healthy 25.8 percent target share. Now, Williams brings the same positive attributes to a New England receiving corps that desperately needed weapons. The third-round rookie will push for an immediate role with Stefon Diggs and DeMario Douglas. He profiles as a shifty route runner who can create space off the line of scrimmage, making him a chain-mover with plus red-zone ability.
Boutte will battle for a reserve spot. His place on the roster is far from secure, making him a poor fantasy investment, even in deeper leagues.
Hunter Henry enters the 2025 season as a steady veteran presence in the Patriots’ offense. In 2024, he recorded a career-high 66 receptions for 674 yards and two touchdowns over 16 games, ranking 8th among tight ends in receiving yards. Henry also ranked 5th in targets (98) and 7th with 18 red-zone looks. New England added several pass-catching weapons, but Henry’s role as Drake Maye’s safety blanket is secure. Fantasy managers can view him as a dependable TE2 with potential for weekly TE1 performances, especially in red-zone situations.
PK Borregales, Andres, NE [PK1]
Made 95% of his field goals for Miami last season. New England invested a sixth-rounder on the rookie, so he’s all but assured of opening the season as New England’s starter. Borregales should stabilize the position, but he has little fantasy value in a low-scoring New England offense.
The Patriots bottomed out last season, ranking dead last in fantasy scoring. However, with Mike Vrabel back in town, New England is a dark horse to finish in the top half of the league in 2025. Expect immediate and dramatic improvements.
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