Drake Maye enters the 2026 fantasy football season securely entrenched in my Tier 2 of quarterbacks, sitting in the elite mix alongside Joe Burrow, Lamar Jackson, Jayden Daniels, and Caleb Williams, just trailing Josh Allen’s Tier 1 status.
Should You Draft Drake Maye in Fantasy Football?
Maye was an MVP finalist, and now you get to decide whether you want him to be your fantasy team MVP.
As of early September, Maye has an ADP of 52.2 and a PFN rank of 46 between analysts Jason Katz and Kyle Soppe. His projected points-per-game average in 2026 is 22.15. He was eighth on PFN’s Top 100 earlier in the summer and was first in PFN QB Impact Score during the regular season last year.
He fell off a little bit in the playoffs, but during the regular season he was one of the best QBs in the game. He finished second in fantasy football scoring, behind only Josh Allen. He is once again the preliminary QB2 in fantasy, behind Josh Allen in the standings.
In 2025, Maye had 12 weekly finishes in the top 12 at his position and 10 weekly finishes with over 20 fantasy points. He was first in total yardage at QB and fourth in total touchdowns. He was also fourth in rushing yards, tied for eighth in rushing touchdowns, and third in rushing attempts. Not only is the scoring there, but the volume is there as well, as a passer and a runner, and that’s very exciting for such a young, dynamic player.
On film, Maye has already developed into the franchise-caliber signal caller with transcendent physical talent that many thought possible. He’s a true field general and a keen distributor to multiple levels of the field, with fearless multi-level risk propensity and the creative tools to be a threat in all phases as well.
The Patriots have replaced Stefon Diggs and Kayshon Boutte with A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, which is an uncertain swap in some elements. It feels like a lateral move. If A.J. Brown can play up to his potential, then it is definitely an upgrade. Romeo Doubs is dynamic, but he has had drop issues in the past. It’s worth noting, however, that 2025 was his best year yet when it came to catch-point efficiency, and it was the first year in his career that he had a sub-5% drop rate as well.
Even though I feel Boutte was underrated as a secondary option, Brown and Doubs have proven capable of taking on more volume, and Maye’s weapons core feels deeper than ever this year. You also have an offensive line that should be improved, with Alijah Vera-Tucker coming in at guard and Jared Wilson being moved to his natural position at center, the one he played at in college.
TreVeyon Henderson’s recent injury is definitely worth monitoring, but a thinner RB room could only put the onus on Maye to produce more. That’s a burden he’s proven to be capable of shouldering.
If we’re comparing Maye to Allen head-to-head, Maye is on track to be a comparably elite producer once again, and you might be able to get at least a round and a half of better value, or even two rounds later, than Josh Allen. QB is a deep position every year, but especially this year. In redraft leagues, don’t feel like you have to force the issue with Maye, but he’s absolutely a compelling candidate to be your first pick at the position at his current ADP value, especially if your individual pick lines up well with where he’s going.
He’s a must-have in superflex leagues, just like last year. There’s consistent QB1 upside. It’s readily attainable, and there’s passing volume and legitimate rushing production combining for a nearly foolproof formula.
FANTASY RANKINGS: PFN’s FREE Fantasy PPR, Half-PPR, and Non-PPR Rankings
Drake Maye’s Week 1 Fantasy Outlook
Analysis provided by PFN Analyst Kyle Soppe.
We won’t have to wait long to see if Maye has put the Super Bowl disaster behind him.
Even as unsteady as parts of last postseason felt for Maye, let’s not lose sight of the plot: he had multiple pass TD or double-digit rush attempts in all 4 of those contests. If he checks one of those two boxes in all 17 games this regular season, there’s a real chance he’s the top-scoring player in the sport.
I don’t anticipate that being the case, but it might be close, and the fact that it’s a conversation tells you all that you need to know. As fierce as this defense is, it did cough up over 19 fantasy points to 5 different QBs last season (Matthew Stafford, Baker Mayfield, Cam Ward, Jacoby Brissett, and Trevor Lawrence). Maye scored the second-most points on deep passes last season, and A.J. Brown ranked fifth in deep receiving points during his tenure in Philly.
Yes, this tandem is as good as you think it is, and no, I’m not sure the NFL will have an answer from the jump.
START PREPARING: PFN’s FREE Fantasy Draft Simulator
Where Maye Ranks Among 2026 Quarterbacks
- Josh Allen | BUF
- Drake Maye | NE
- Lamar Jackson | BAL
- Jayden Daniels | WAS
- Joe Burrow | CIN
- Jalen Hurts | PHI
- Caleb Williams | CHI
- Justin Herbert | LAC
- Jaxson Dart | NYG
- Trevor Lawrence | JAX
- Dak Prescott | DAL
Know the position inside and out with every QB, ranked, on PFN’s 2026 PPR Board.
