The New England Patriots will visit the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 12. Here’s the latest fantasy football news and advice to help you with your lineups this week and moving forward, specifically regarding QB Drake Maye.
Is Drake Maye Playing in Week 12?
Maye is not on the injury report, and barring a surprise, he is expected to play.
We’ll continue to monitor the Patriots’ injury report leading up to kickoff for any changes. You can also visit and bookmark our Fantasy News Tracker for the latest updates.
Should You Start or Sit Maye in Week 12?
TreVeyon Henderson cashed in two touchdowns from seven yards out, and that eliminated some of the fantasy upside for Maye on Thursday night against the Jets, but good luck getting any sympathy.
Maye has averaged north of eight yards per pass in eight straight games and is showing tremendous signs of development. In three of his past four games, he’s completed over 76% of his passes when taking 2.5+ seconds to throw (10 of his 13 TD passes over that stretch have come on those attempts), something that points to a high level of effectiveness when allowing the play to develop.
That’s huge.
So many young players want to bail after their first read, especially when gifted the physical tools that Maye possesses. So no, I’m not worried that Maye has seen his rushing yardage decline in four straight games or that he hasn’t scored a touchdown on the ground since September.
Instead, I’m encouraged that he was five-of-six with a touchdown against the Jets last week when out of the pocket. He’s showing signs of maturity that I didn’t think were on the 2025 radar. He’s now a dangerous threat on the move as both a passer and a runner, putting defenses into a true ‘can’t win’ situation.
This matchup makes just about any QB interesting, and that makes it impossible to rank Maye too high this week. The bye looms (Week 14), and that’s a pain, but coming out of that for the fantasy playoffs, he’ll be tasked with keeping up with Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson.
This is going to be a fun ride to the finish line!
Are you looking for start/sit advice for other players in your lineup? Read our Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em Cheat Sheet.
Maye’s Fantasy Points Projection in Week 12
Maye is projected to score 24.5 fantasy points in PPR formats.
We project Maye to throw for 286 yards and 1.9 passing touchdowns with 1.3 interceptions. Maye could also add 53 rushing yards and 0.2 rushing touchdowns on the ground.
Check out the free PFSN Fantasy Start-Sit Optimizer for the latest projections and advice for your lineups this week.
Week 12 Weather Impact: Patriots at Bengals
The forecast for kickoff is 44 degrees Fahrenheit with 4 mph winds. These are ideal conditions for fantasy production.
