DeMario Douglas

Douglas came to the Patriots in 2023 as a sixth-round pick and almost immediately earned a regular role in the slot, where his 5-foot-8, 179-pound frame wouldn't be too limiting. He's since bulked up some, now listed at 192 pounds, and seemingly without sacrificing any of his 4.44 speed, but that doesn't mean he'll ever be more than a No. 3 receiver. After drawing targets on 22.1 percent of routes as a rookie, Douglas dropped to 16.9 percent in 2024 despite being surrounded mostly by backup-quality receivers. The Patriots hope that won't be the case this year, having signed Stefon Diggs and Mack Hollins, but their receiving corps and offensive line still rank near the bottom of the league on paper. That's good for Douglas' chances to keep his role, and he's already more athletic than the average slot specialist, but it's tough to manage even WR3 fantasy production in such a role unless the team almost exclusively uses three-wide formations and/or has elite passing numbers overall. Neither of those outcomes seems likely under new coach Mike Vrabel, which means Douglas' statistical gains figure to be moderate even if second-year QB Drake Maye proves a gem. Read Past Outlooks