New England Patriots - NESN.com
The New England Patriots think they know what they have in WR1 Stefon Diggs, but will Diggs ultimately be New England’s most productive wide receiver in 2025? Boston.com’s Conor Ryan made an interesting prediction ahead of the Patriots’ Week 1 game that suggests Drake Maye might have another favorite target this season.
“The Patriots do have a proven playmaker on their roster with Stefon Diggs now cleared for game action,” Ryan wrote.
“We’re expecting a solid season for Diggs with six touchdowns and 789 yards, given his crisp route-running capabilities. But Drake Maye’s top security blanket this year will be Douglas, who consistently got open during joint practices against the Vikings and Commanders.”
“Given McDaniels’ knack for carving out featured roles for shifty wideouts out of the slot during his previous tenures in Foxborough, Douglas should be poised for a breakout campaign,” Ryan continued. “We don’t think Douglas will be the first Patriots wideout to break 1,000 yards since Julian Edelman in 2019. But the third-year pro should be able to surpass 800 yards in 2025.”
Last season, Douglas’ second NFL campaign, the Liberty product tallied 66 receptions for 621 yards and three touchdowns for the Patriots.
Douglas was selected with the No. 210 overall pick (sixth round) in the 2023 draft by New England.
If Douglas truly does break out this season, New England’s offense could be a lot more dynamic than expected.
The first test for Douglas and the Pats will come Sunday at Gillette Stadium, in the form of a Las Vegas Raiders defense looking to make life difficult for Drake Maye.
