Drake Maye fantasy football outlook for 2024: Is Patriots QB a safe pick this year?

Drake Maye was the third straight quarterback selected with the third overall pick by the New England Patriots in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Patriots decided to move on from Mac Jones during the offseason, opening the door for Maye to take over as their starter. It's unclear when that will happen, but it could be as early as their Week 1 matchup.

Rookies carry more risk than most other players in fantasy football, but Maye still makes for an interesting pick in certain formats, especially in Dynasty leagues. Here's where his fantasy value stands for the upcoming 2024 fantasy football season.

Breaking down Drake Maye's fantasy football outlook for 2024

Drake Maye poses with a ball

Drake Maye was the third of six quarterbacks selected in the first round of the 2024 NFL Draft after his impressive college football career with the North Carolina Tar Heels. In two years as a starter, he passed for 7,929 yards and 62 touchdowns. He also demonstrated that his legs can be a weapon, adding 1,147 rushing yards and 16 touchdowns during those same two seasons.

Mobile quarterbacks with an ability to earn fantasy points with their rushing skills have always been desirable targets in fantasy football. Maye proved that he can do so during his collegiate career, so this could be one of the assets to help develop his game with the New England Patriots. It also gives him more upside than many other quarterbacks.

The potential issue with Maye's overall fantasy value is that the Patriots have one of the weakest groups of wide receivers in the entire NFL. They improved their situation by also drafting Ja'Lynn Polk, but they still lack depth in their offensive weapons. This makes Maye an extremely risky pick in season-long formats.

Where should you draft Drake Maye this year?

In Dynasty fantasy football leagues, Drake Maye makes for an attractive option. His elite skillset suggests that he has the potential to eventually be a star quarterback, so having him across multiple seasons could be an asset. For traditional season-long formats, he should probably only be considered as a QB2 in deeper leagues.

Managers debating whether or not to draft Maye should reference Sportskeeda's Who Should I Draft tool. This will generate fantasy projections for all players that a manager may be deciding upon during their drafts. This can help them determine if Maye is their best option in the later rounds of drafts.