The New England Patriots come into the 2025 NFL season as one of the biggest wildcards in the league. After one season, they replaced their head coach and hired Mike Vrabel. They went on a spending spree in the offseason and loaded up for the 2025 NFL Draft. The additions should spell good news for Drake Maye and the offense.

ESPN released a Fantasy football list of sleepers, busts, and breakouts, and Drake Maye was one of the breakout candidates. Maye had fantasy value last season despite having minimal weapons and running for his life due to a struggling offensive line. ESPN Fantasy analyst Eric Karabell thinks he fits the mold of a breakout due to his improvement and the supporting cast.

Karabell elaborated more by saying, “Maye produced relevant fantasy numbers as a rookie, despite not starting a game until October, burdened by the lack of any semblance of game-breakers surrounding him and dealing with an incompetent coaching staff. That changes this season, with proven WR Stefon Diggs and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels among the noteworthy additions. Maye adds value with his legs and, with a little help, could easily perform at a QB1 level.”

The New England offense seemed broken last season. They finished the year ranked 31st out of 32 in total offense with 291.9 yards per game. Maye did not start every game for the Patriots, which was a significant factor in why the passing game was the worst in the NFL, at 176.1 yards per game.

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Stat-wise, for Maye, he had 2,276 passing yards, 15 passing touchdowns, and 10 interceptions with a 66.6% completion percentage.

Despite his struggles as a head coach, Josh McDaniels has proven to be a great offensive coordinator and should help Maye's growth. Garrett Bradbury, Morgan Moses, and rookie Will Campbell were added to fortify an offensive line that needed a complete makeover.

Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins add some much-needed experience to the receiving corps. TreVeyon Henderson at running back and Kyle Williams at wide receiver were the biggest weapons added through the 2025 NFL Draft.

The Patriots do not look like a playoff team just yet, but their improvements will make them much more interesting, and that means Drake Maye has a lot of potential for fantasy football.