Expectations outside of One Patriot Place are not high.
First-year head coach Jerod Mayo and the New England Patriots are the betting favorite to finish with the worst record in the NFL (+260, FanDuel Sportsbook). Oddsmakers have set the team's win total at 4.5. And given what fans saw during the offseason and during portions of the preseason, the popular narrative is that it's going to take time for this rebuild.
Despite that, we've come up with six (mostly positive) bold predictions entering the 2024 campaign:
DeMario Douglas leads AFC East receivers in catches
We're starting bold! The second-year wideout caught 49 balls for 561 yards and zero touchdowns in his rookie season (14 games). That's quite a long way from Miami Dolphins superstar Tyreek Hill (119 catches) and New York Jets third-year receiver Garrett Wilson (95 catches). But is there a chance Douglas takes a significant step forward due to an increased workload in the offense? In this scenario, that significant step coincides with Hill seeing less given Miami's abundance of skill players and the Jets' offense being more balanced with running back Breece Hall complementing quarterback Aaron Rodgers.
Keion White records 10+ sacks
The 2023 second-round pick registered a mere one sack during his rookie season when he played 49% of defensive snaps. But White, who was a standout during training camp and the preseason, now enters his second year with a huge opportunity. The Patriots traded top edge rusher in Matthew Judon, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore is set to miss an extended period of time -- if he returns at all. White's versatility gives him the chance to play both on the interior and on the edge. He feels like New England's best three-down player on the defensive line.
Rookie wideouts combine for 1,400 yards
Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker made a handful of highlight-reel plays this preseason with the second-round Polk bringing it more consistently. There's a real chance Polk turns into a legit second option (behind Douglas) in the offense. Could that mean something like 800 receiving yards? That would be quite the rookie season for the Washington product. Should this come up short, it feels like it will be because Baker, who could be repping down the depth chart, comes up short on his half.
Rhamondre Stevenson sets career highs in yards, touchdowns
Stevenson was limited to 12 games due to injury in 2023, which caused his production to take a noticeable step back from a successful sophomore campaign. Stevenson set career highs in yards (1,040) and touchdowns (five) during the 2022 season, and we're of the belief Alex Van Pelt's new offense will allow him to surpass those marks. Stevenson said he enjoys the new offense and New England running back coach Taylor Embree believes Stevenson will be able to stack a ton of explosive runs in the scheme.
Drake Maye wins NFL debut in Week 8
Let's do it: We're predicting the third overall pick is given the chance to start in late October against the New York Jets. It comes after an early-season gauntlet with his first start at Gillette Stadium before a pair of away games against the Tennessee Titans and Chicago Bears -- a decent landing spot for the 22-year-old.
Patriots lose first six games
New England was dealt a tough stretch to start the season with the Bengals, Seahawks, Jets, 49ers, Dolphins and Texans in the first six weeks. It feels like at least five of those teams will be in the playoffs with only Seattle unknown. Cincinnati (10.5), New York (9.5), San Francisco (11.5), Miami (9.5) and Houston (9.5) all more than double New England's projected win total on FanDuel Sportsbook (4.5). All five are favored to make the postseason. Oh yeah, we're banking on the Patriots to go under the 4.5, too.
