Demario Douglas Could Be New England’s Biggest Fantasy Winner After Stefon Diggs Exit

With Stefon Diggs no longer in New England, Demario Douglas has a fresh opportunity to carve out a larger fantasy role in the Patriots’ passing attack.

New England Patriots wide receiver Demario Douglas (3) runs the ball after a reception against the New York Jets during the first quarter of the game at MetLife Stadium. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

Stefon Diggs’ departure from New England creates a clearer path to volume for Demario Douglas, who quietly showed more versatility in 2025 than many fantasy managers realize. If Drake Maye leans on him as a reliable underneath and intermediate target, Douglas could emerge as a sneaky late-round value in PPR leagues.

Demario Douglas, New England Patriots

Douglas took over as the Patriots' top receiver in his first season, leading to catches (49) and yards (561), though he couldn't find the end zone. His most productive stretch came over a five-game midseason run (4/74, 5/29, 5/55, 6/84, 6/49), offering a glimpse of what consistent volume could look like.

He built on that in 2024, setting new career highs across the board (66 catches, 621 yards, and three touchdowns on 87 targets). The problem is the underlying efficiency. A 9.4 yards-per-catch average signals a diet of short, safe throws, and genuinely impactful days were scarce (7/69, 6/92/1, 4/46/1). Volume of chances is needed for success to overcome his lack of explosiveness.

The Patriots changed up the usage of Douglas last season, leading to him being a sneaky, overlooked playmaker downfield. He gained a career-high 13.6 yards per catch, thanks to 17.9% of his catches gaining 20 yards or more. Douglas caught 39 of his 58 targets over 21 games for 552 yards and four touchdowns. 

Demario Douglas 2026 Fantasy Football Outlook

Fantasy Outlook: Douglas was only on the field for 367 plays in 2025 (27.0%), with his best fantasy value coming in two games (3/71/1 and 4/100/1). The loss of Stefon Diggs may lead to him regaining some close, easy throws by Drake Maye, setting the stage to be a 5/50 player in more games. His ceiling seems low, but Douglas does have more layers to his game than originally shown over his first two seasons with New England.