Patriots Player Rankings: TreVeyon Henderson Breakout Season Plus A Sleeper Rookie

The 2025 New England Patriots are loaded with intrigue for fantasy football managers, from Stefon Diggs chasing a bounce-back season to rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson pushing for a breakout role. With Drake Maye’s development, a rebuilt supporting cast, and deep sleeper Kyle Williams in the mix, New England offers value, upside, and plenty of draft-day debate.

Comeback Player

Stefon Diggs, Wide Receiver

Over the first third of August, Diggs remains a backend WR3 option, with multiple rookie wideouts getting drafted in front of him. His summer reports have been positive despite still having the question tag next to his name on the depth chart. He looks poised to lead New England in all receiving categories, while much of the fantasy market waits to see him in game action on the field. I have him projected for 80 catches for 913 yards and five scores, leaving plenty of room for Diggs to beat my outlook.

Diggs is currently the WR36 in our 2025 Projections.

Breakout Player

TreVeyon Henderson, Running Back

After TreVeyon Henderson ran back the opening kickoff for the Patriots, his ADP started to rise up draft boards, highlighted by his range recently in the high-stakes market (low – 18 and high – 70). His speed and play-making ability are significant edges over Rhamondre Stevenson, begging New England to give him more touches. He should work as a rotational player in the run game, with the inside track to lead the team in receiving stats at running back. As a mid-tier RB2 (his new price point in PPR formats), Henderson must score about 225.00 fantasy points to reach par. I expect a run ride, with his best chance to succeed coming over the back half of the season.

TREVEYON HENDERSON 100-YD KICKOFF RETURN TD WITH HIS FIRST NFL TOUCH 😱

(via @Patriots)pic.twitter.com/bPBeLpn3ZR
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) August 8, 2025

Henderson is currently the RB30 in our 2025 Projections.

Value

Drake Maye, Quarterback

A long-time friend of mine, a big Patriots fan for many years, questioned Maye's ceiling this summer. He gravitated to his record last year (1-9) when playing a full game while starting. New England won two other games with him as a starter, but left after short snaps (20 and 3) in those matchups.

The Patriots’ offensive line is expected to be better this year. Maye gets a great upgrade at running back, and his wide receiving corps is trending much higher than initially expected. If the stars align in 2025, New England should have a true number one wide receiver, with an intriguing, unproven talent behind Diggs.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) looks to throw against the Buffalo Bills during the first half at Gillette Stadium. | Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Maye helps his floor with his legs, and his natural progression should be a league-average quarterback in passing stats. He ranks 15th at quarterback in mid-August in the high-stakes market. His next step should be 4,000 combined yards with about 23 touchdowns, making him a backend QB2 with upside.

Maye is currently the QB21 in our 2025 Projections.

Deep Sleeper

Kyle Williams, Wide Receiver

When reviewing his 2024 highlights, Williams flashed impact value anytime he caught the ball. His vision and feel for spacing in the open field were excellent. On the downside, many of his catches came via open releases, making them easy. The Cougars gave him chances on bubble plays and slants, along with taking advantage of one-on-one matchups on the outside.

Williams brings what the Patriots lack in the passing game, but he must prove his worth against better cornerbacks. I expect him to be a flash player in his rookie campaign, resulting in many down days and some explosive showings when he hits on a long scoring play.

His price point in mid-August in the high-stakes market makes Williams a backend WR6. His range for me is between 40 and 50 catches with 600 and 750 yards with a possible handful of scores. I have him rated lower than this out of the gate until I see his usage and how the Patriots use the top wide receivers this year.

Williams is currently the WR78 in our 2025 Projections.