Should I Start DeMario Douglas?

Saturday, October 31, 8:35 AM

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas could step up as the No. 1 target for quarterback Drake Maye in Week 8 against the Miami Dolphins. Teammate A.J. Brown (knee) is technically listed as questionable, but it was previously reported that he's dealing with a serious knee injury that will sideline him for several weeks, so we'd be surprised to see him play on Sunday. With Brown likely out, and receiver Mack Hollins (calf) and Romeo Doubs (shoulder) both on injured reserve, Douglas has an opportunity to emerge as the No. 1 receiver ahead of Kyle Williams and Efton Chism III. The 25-year-old had already been trending up lately with 17 targets, 14 catches, 174 yards, and three touchdowns over his last three games. The only red flag with Douglas this week is the matchup. Miami has allowed the third-fewest fantasy points to wide receivers in 2026, likely due to the fact that teams have been in a very positive game script environment against them and opt to run the football. A similar trend could persist this Sunday with the Patriots favored by seven points, but we'd still trust Douglas as a high-end fantasy WR3 in his expanded role.