New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye, who had climbed to QB4 in fantasy rankings, was ruled out with an ankle injury in Week 10 after an Aidan Hutchinson sack against the Detroit Lions in Munich, Germany. This isn’t just a bump in the road, folks, this is a seismic shift for an offense already on shaky ground.
The Maye Injury: From Rising Star to Sidelines
Maye, in his third NFL season, actually started the year slowly for fantasy managers. But he found his rhythm, shooting up to QB4. The dude was averaging a solid 19.9 fantasy points this season, making him one of the most valuable quarterbacks out there. In that fateful first drive against the Lions, Maye looked good, going three for four on completions for 48 passing yards and adding 11 rushing yards. Then, *boom*. Hutchinson got to him, and Maye was done, heading to the medical tent before eventually going to the locker room for evaluation. This isn’t an isolated incident for the Patriots, either. Their offense has been absolutely hammered by injuries this season, with A.J. Brown missing six games and TreVeyon Henderson missing several games before being placed on IR. Can this team catch a break?
DeVito Steps In, and the Numbers Speak For Themselves
Enter Tommy DeVito, the Patriots’ backup quarterback. Now, DeVito is in his fourth NFL season, but let’s be real, his experience level is super low. He kicked off his NFL career with the Giants before finding his way to New England as Maye’s backup. He’d played a total of 15 NFL games before Week 10, so it’s not like he’s a seasoned vet. His performance after taking over for Maye against the Lions in Munich? Not great, Bob. DeVito threw for a measly 17 passing yards on just four completions, scraped together six rushing yards, took three sacks, and tossed one interception. Yikes. Based on those numbers, his fantasy value, even if Maye misses extended time, is going to be incredibly low.
Ripple Effects: Brown’s Struggles and Stevenson’s Increased Load
So, what does this mean for the rest of the Patriots’ offense? For wide receiver A.J. Brown, it means his fantasy ceiling is about to drop even lower with DeVito throwing the ball. Brown’s been having a rough go of it already in his eighth season. He’s missed six games due to injury, and even when he’s been on the field, he’s struggled to make an impact, averaging a paltry 6.4 fantasy points this season. Three receptions in each of his last three games, plus three drops this season? Not exactly inspiring confidence. With DeVito under center, Brown is looking like a WR3 or flex play at best. On the flip side, running back Rhamondre Stevenson might actually see a boost. He came into Week 10 questionable with a knee injury but still suited up. With DeVito’s inexperience, the Patriots are almost certainly going to lean heavily on the run game, with Stevenson and Corey Kiner. Expect Stevenson to get more touches and likely more receptions on short checkdowns, as the team tries to get the ball out of DeVito’s hands quickly. Averaging 12.6 fantasy points this season, and with Henderson now on IR, Stevenson is set to become the main rusher, solidifying his status as a solid RB2, assuming he stays healthy. This is a tough hit for an offense already struggling with injuries, and New England fans are in for a serious test of patience with Tommy DeVito at the helm.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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