Can Patriots unlock Drake Maye's game by adding Cam Newton element to the offense?
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In the latest Yahoo Fantasy Forecast, Matt Harmon and Andy Behrens explain why Drake Maye's rushing ability is being slept on — and in turn his appeal in 2025 drafts is being overlooked.
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Maye had 421 rushing yards as a rookie, with a staggering 407 of those coming on scrambles — meaning 97% of his rushing output was improvisational rather than by design. As Harmon points out, "Maye's already talked about ... he's looked at some of those old Cam Newton 2020 Patriots games where Josh McDaniels kind of had Cam Newton, what was left of him, cooking as a designed rusher."
The implication? Maye has significant untapped rushing upside. Maye wasn't used on designed runs last season, but that could change with McDaniels back in New England, the revamped personnel around the QB and his willingness and capability as a runner.
Behrens echoes this point, noting Maye "averaged 7.8 yards per carry. He's great at it. This is definitely a player who, you know, if we're making it a recurring part of the offense, he could easily rush for 750 yards, 800 yards."
By the time Newton got to New England, he wasn't the same player as he was earlier in his career, but he still had some huge games that season, finishing with 589 yards rushing and 12 scores on the ground. His fantasy production in 2020 was built on a rushing workload that included designed runs and short-yardage plunges. While it's not fair to saddle every rushing QB with the Newton comp, Maye isn't just a pocket passer — with the right scheme, he might approach the kinds of numbers Newton posted, at least on the ground.
If McDaniels calls more designed QB runs, like he did with Newton, Maye's excellent tackle-breaking (he was second in yards after contact among QBs last season) could translate well.
Behrens points out New England is a work in progress, but likes the team's offseason moves: "It's hard not to like what they did for him." The team has a rebuilt offensive line and new weapons in Stefon Diggs (free agent), TreVeyon Williams (No. 38 overall pick in the NFL Draft) and Kyle Williams (No. 69). Both Harmon and Behrens agree Maye's rookie passing stats may not jump off the page, but the upside is that rare, golden ticket: a young QB who can run for 700+ yards and rack up 6–8 rushing TDs while he learns.
ADP Watch: Currently, Maye's ADP sits around QB18. Behrens and Harmon think that's not baking in Maye's true rushing potential, and training camp hype could push his draft price up if New England leans into a Cam Newton-esque playbook. He could project as a low-end QB1 or top-end QB2 with monster ceiling weeks.
League Winner? Behrens says it best: 'If we could just get Drake Maye to like 3,500 passing yards and he's a proactive rusher now he's, now he's got top-10 appeal.' You're looking at a potential difference-maker you can snag outside the top 15 quarterbacks.
Maye's dual-threat potential is exciting. He's not Newton yet — and he may never get that full rushing workload — but the skill set is there, and the new-look offense could deploy him like Newton's Patriots days. With a little summer buzz about designed runs (keep an eye out!) and positive reports from training camp, Maye could see an ADP surge and be 2025's surprise QB fantasy star.
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