Who Should I Start? J.J. McCarthy or Drake Maye

Friday, June 26, 5:13 AM

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was one first-place vote away from winning the 2025 NFL MVP award in his first full season as a starter, and one area that his supporters pointed to was the level of pass catchers he was throwing to in comparison to the award's winner, Matthew Stafford. Heading into 2026, the Patriots have rebuilt their wide receiver corps, adding Romeo Doubs through free agency and sending a first and fifth-round pick to Philadelphia for three-time Pro Bowler A.J. Brown. Maye finished as the fantasy QB2 in 2025, accounting for 4,844 yards and 35 touchdowns through the air and on the ground, and as he continues to take agency over Josh McDaniels' offense, his game has the potential to reach even higher levels. He was one of the most proficient passers against man coverage last season, while Brown has been the league's most disruptive receiver against man since 2022, and with Brown and Doubs expected to hold the top two spots on the depth chart, the rest of New England's receivers like Mack Hollins, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, and, for now, Kayshon Boutte can slot into their more natural positions. With improvements made to both the receiver room and offensive line, and still possessing the ability to keep plays alive well-beyond structure, Maye is RotoBaller's QB4 for 2026, though a QB1 finish is very much in his range of possibilities.