Ted Chmyz argues DeMario Douglas is overdrafted in high-stakes formats, going at 145 overall (WR62) on NFFC versus 224 (WR72) in consensus data. While kicker/defense suppression explains part of the gap, Douglas is still several wide-receiver spots higher on NFFC. He finished 2024 as WR60 in PPR points per game, but the arrival of Stefon Diggs—who may take slot snaps where Douglas ran 79% of his routes and scored 81% of his fantasy points—threatens his target volume. The Patriots offense could improve under returning OC Josh McDaniels and second-year QB Drake Maye, yet Chmyz notes Douglas’ profile after two seasons as a slot specialist offers limited league-winning upside. Given a need for home-run swings in the double-digit rounds, he recommends pivoting to higher-ceiling names in that range such as Braelon Allen, Dallas Goedert, or Bhayshul Tuten.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound warned drafters not to take DeMario Douglas around pick 115, calling him "five points a week" and saying that production will never be enough to survive Eliminator pods that routinely see 170-plus point scores. He labeled Douglas a low-ceiling, low-floor pick that only looks safe on paper and argued those roster spots should be reserved for players capable of genuine spike weeks, especially once he is your sixth or seventh wideout.

Joe Pisapia said DeMario Douglas is the cheapest way to profit from Josh McDaniels’ return to New England and expects him to slide straight into the high-volume slot role once owned by Julian Edelman and Wes Welker. Edelman and Welker used to reel in 120 catches a year; while Pisapia is not projecting that total, he sees Douglas’ quickness and underneath route savvy fitting the same mold and translating to steady full-PPR flex production. Because fantasy players are tired of Patriots wide-receiver misses, Douglas is virtually free at the end of drafts, but Pisapia believes he has a realistic top-40 finish in his range of outcomes.

Clayton Gray called DeMario Douglas the biggest steal on ESPN, highlighting a massive difference between his Footballguys ranking (105) and his ESPN ADP (251). That 146-pick gulf means managers can land a top-120 graded player with one of their final selections.

Steve Palazzolo projected DeMario Douglas to be "the perfect slot for Josh McDaniels" and a roster lock despite the crowded depth chart. Douglas impressed the staff with his short-area quickness and route polish as a rookie, and Palazzolo thinks McDaniels will feature him in the Julian Edelman-style role that historically produces a steady 18–22 percent target share. That underneath volume, especially in a pass game built on option routes, makes Douglas a sneaky PPR play and late-round best-ball pick.

Meg Shoup tagged DeMario "Pop" Douglas as an underrated late-round pick in Underdog’s Eliminator contest. She noted that new coordinator Mike McDaniel historically funnels quick, high-percentage targets to the slot—think Jaylen Waddle and River Cracraft in Miami—and with Stefon Diggs potentially missing early games Douglas could walk into a team-high target share out of the gate. While the second-year wideout is unlikely to score many touchdowns, Eliminator’s half-PPR scoring rewards consistent receptions that prevent weekly zeros. Shoup added that Douglas’ Week-11 bye lines up cleanly with most premium receivers, reducing early-season dead spots, and that his current 16th-round ADP lets drafters tack on cheap Patriots correlation without forcing a third quarterback.

Jeff Mueller called DeMario Douglas his favorite "best baller" of 2025 drafts. Mueller loves the combination of dirt-cheap price (WR70-71) and projected slot volume in Josh McDaniels’ offense, stressing that Douglas himself has been raving all offseason about how often the Patriots plan to move receivers around and feed him the ball. By pairing Douglas with rookie quarterback Drake Maye—currently falling to QB16—drafters can scoop a full PPR stack that frees them to hammer running backs or elite wideouts early. Mueller thinks Douglas has a realistic path to lead New England in targets and become a weekly floor play who still owns spike-week upside whenever the Patriots push tempo.

Mike Wright framed DeMario Douglas as the Khalil Shakir of the Patriots’ offense—never a league-winner but always usable. Wright noted Douglas is "always going to be on the field" and should handle the slot role in three-receiver sets even after the Stefon Diggs trade and Kyle Williams pick. Because Douglas works underneath, Wright expects a steady diet of short throws that pile up receptions (he joked the hope is "10 yards a catch"). That profile gives Douglas a reliable PPR floor for bye-week or injury fill-ins, especially if New England’s offensive line struggles force Drake May to get the ball out quickly. Wright is happy to grab Douglas in the last couple of rounds as a low-ceiling, high-usage safety valve.

Pat Fantasy Dog Pound advised fading Demario “Pop” Douglas at his current 170-ish ADP in Underdog’s Sprint and similar playoff-focused drafts. Pat noted that Bill Belichick’s offense ranked near the bottom of the league in three-wide-receiver usage last year, and nothing from early camp suggests a philosophical change. Because Douglas can play only in the slot, his snap share will be capped unless the Patriots suddenly lean on 11-personnel. Pat said he looks for wideouts who can pop 20-plus point weeks in the playoff window, and Douglas simply will not see enough routes or targets to provide those spike games. In Pat’s words, “he needs more looks to be fantasy-relevant,” making him a roster clogger rather than a ceiling piece.