DeMario Douglas

Demario “Pop” Douglas led the Patriots in receiving as a rookie, and can be a target hog and safety blanket for rookie Quarterback Drake Maye in 2024. Douglas is undersized but explosive, and has made strides this offseason to separate himself from the rest of the receiving group.

While Douglas offers a solid floor for managers in PPR leagues, he projects as a player who will lineup primarily in the slot and not be a threat for many big plays. Douglas is most enticing in PPR leagues and non-best ball formats, and offers a bit of additional upside with his ability to return kicks in leagues that award additional scoring for return yards (SFB14.)

With offseason organized team activities beginning across the NFL this week, incoming rookies are finally getting the chance to prove themselves against veteran players. For the New England Patriots, newcomers such as Drake Maye — the franchise’s hopeful quarterback of the future — and wide receivers Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker will have an opportunity to make a big first impression on their new boss.

Although Maye and Polk, in particular, were both high draft choices selected within the top 40, it sounds like they’ll have to earn the trust of Jerod Mayo in order to earn themselves a role come September. When discussing the receivers’ room specifically, Mayo said, “It’s a wide-open competition. We have some young bulls, we have some older players, we have guys who are really unproven, so this is an opportunity for them to really get a leg up, going forward.” Mayo also made it clear that the absence of presumptive starter Kendrick Bourne — still recovering from a torn ACL sustained during a Week 8 loss to the Miami Dolphins last season — will undoubtedly open up opportunities for both Polk and Baker, among others.

Although New England attacked its pressing needs on offense during the draft, this is still a group you will want to avoid in fantasy. While Bourne (when healthy) merits consideration as a FLEX option in deeper formats, it’s still unknown as to who the signal-caller in Foxborough will be come Week 1. Maye will certainly elevate the ceiling of the Patriots’ wideouts once he enters the fold, but the timing is still unknown. Until then, Polk and Baker can be seen as mid-to-late-round dynasty assets, while Bourne and second-year man DeMario Douglas are safer short-term bets with Brissett under center.

After suffering a high ankle sprain last week and with it being a short week, it was inevitable that Rhamondre Stevenson would be ruled out for Week 14. Depending on the severity of the injury, there is a possibility that we may have seen the last of Stevenson for this season. Although the Patriots’ offense has been anemic this season, Stevenson was still producing. As for Demario Douglas, he is still in the concussion protocol process and is eyeing to return next week.

For those fantasy managers who were able to pick up Ezekiel Elliot off waivers this week, you may want to contemplate inserting him into your line-up this week. The Steelers have allowed running backs to score 19.6 fantasy points per contest this season. Now with Elliot in line to be the lead back, he’s going to be able to eat all the touches he can handle not only this week but going forward as well.

Unfortunately, fantasy managers will not have Demario Douglas’s services this week due to the rookie still being in the concussion protocol. He has a juicy matchup against the Chargers, but with Douglas missing practice all week, he may be doubtful heading into Week 14 as well. The Patriots also listed Kayshon Boutte as out, making them seriously undermanned at receiver heading into Sunday.

With both wide receivers out, newly named starting quarterback Bailey Zappe will look for someone else to target. JuJu Smith-Schuster will get additional targets on Sunday and be a possible flex option for Week 14. In deeper league formats fantasy managers can look to throw in DeVante Parker. Parker returned to the lineup last week and was targeted five times, which he turned into three receptions for 42 yards.

The receiving option set to be the biggest beneficiary has to be tight end Hunter Henry. Could this be the Henry “Revenge Game” since he will face his former club? The Chargers are allowing the fourth-most fantasy points to tight ends this season, making him an option to start with so many teams on bye. It’s justifiable to look elsewhere from this woeful Patriots offense with fantasy playoffs dreams on the line.