Preseason expectations aren’t the be-all, end-all. Just look at last season’s New England Patriots team, which was predicted to finish third in the AFC East at best, and then went to the Super Bowl.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye similarly shocked the NFL world by finishing second in MVP voting in just his second NFL season. It was a major leap forward and now many people are expecting him to repeat that massive season in 2026.
Maye and the Patriots would, of course, like to change one major thing about 2025. They lost the Super Bowl and he lost the MVP, but that can be corrected this year.
MVP Odds for New England Patriots QB Drake Maye
GettyNew England Patriots QB Drake Maye
There is some debate about what to expect from New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye in 2026. After all, some think he can build on his breakout season, while others are quick to point to a relatively weak schedule and his postseason turnover issues behind a crumbling offensive line.
So, there’s some value in looking into Maye’s MVP odds. After all, the experts in the desert are right more often than they’re wrong.
DraftKings is currently giving Maye +1100 MVP odds in 2026. That’s behind five other quarterbacks, with Josh Allen of the Buffalo Bills leading the way at +550, quickly followed by Lamar Jackson of the Baltimore Ravens at +650. After that, Patrick Mahomes, Justin Herbert, and Joe Burrow are all currently ahead of Maye too, making Maye the sixth-ranked player in-terms of MVP odds.
On the other hand, FanDuel offers more favorable MVP odds on Drake Maye. There, he has the tied for the second-best MVP odds at +850. Jackson is also sitting at +850 there. Meanwhile, Allen is still tops in the MVP odds. Incidentally, both books have last year’s MVP Matthew Stafford behind Maye.
Albert Breer recently shared some thoughts on Maye. In particular, what it could mean if he improves again in 2026, like he did going into his second season.
“It would be weird to say that Drake Maye is an x-factor in the Patriots’ season, after a near-MVP campaign in his second year, but here’s a question to ponder. What if Maye finds another level in 2026?” Breer wrote.
“It’s something to consider, given Maye’s physical gifts and that he’ll be with the same play-caller in consecutive seasons for the first time since high school. There’s plenty of optimism in Foxborough that could be coming, which would help combat the natural regression that a tougher schedule and/or swing in injury luck would provoke.”
Of course, if 2025 proved anything, it’s that you never know what’s going to happen in the NFL before it actually does. Players have breakout seasons. Players suffer injuries. Sometimes, they just don’t play as well as you expect, so there’s room for Maye to defy those preseason odds.
Drake Maye Could Take Strides Under Josh McDaniels
GettyJosh McDaniels and Drake Maye of the New England Patriots
Going into 2026, Drake Maye will have the same offensive coordinator for the first time since 2021-2022, during his freshman and sophomore seasons at North Carolina, as Josh McDaniels is returning for another year as the Patriots offensive coordinator.
That’s going to do Maye plenty of good, giving him an opportunity to master the offense. One Patriots veteran, Hunter Henry, thinks it’s going to be a massive boost.
“I think the underrated thing he has this year is obviously going into Year 2 in the system is big,” Henry said. “This system demands a lot on the quarterback position. To have a whole offseason to be in the same scheme and really build on what he did last year, I’m excited to see the jump and progress he can make on a day-to-day basis.”
On top of that, the Patriots looked to stack the wide receiver room around Maye this offseason. So, there’s every opportunity to make that jump.
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