The Patriots have assembled a WR room that features much more quantity than quality, including two recent draft picks in WRs Ja’Lynn Polk and Javon Baker. However, it’s the second-year pro DeMario Douglas that’s reportedly been turning heads in Patriots camp so far as the best pass catcher on the field. Given the dysfunction under center last season for New England, Douglas’ 1.7 yards per route run is relatively noteworthy heading into year 2 with a talented rookie at QB to potentially grow with in the near future. He operated primarily as a slot receiver in 2023 and will likely look to fulfill the same role in the Patriots’s offense in 2024. He’ll have to fight off competition from the aforementioned Polk and Baker, as well as the likes of Kendrick Bourne, Juju Smith-Schuster, and the reliable red-zone threat Hunter Henry if he wants to be a consistent fantasy contributor, but with a brand new coaching system and quarterback installed, he’ll have a clean slate to make a strong first impression – something that he seems to already be doing given this report. Douglas ranked 5th in yards after the catch per reception and 2nd in missed tackles forced per reception among qualifying receivers last year, making him one of the league’s best under-the-radar talents after the catch.
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