The New England Patriots’ passing game should take a significant step forward in 2026.
The wide receiver room will feature two new weapons atop the depth chart: A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. New England acquired Brown in a trade with the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday and signed Doubs to a four-year deal in free agency.
Those two are locks for roster spots next season, but how will the rest of the receiver room shake out?
With about two months until training camp, we took a stab at predicting the Patriots’ wide receiver depth chart for 2026. You’ll notice we didn’t include Kayshon Boutte, who has been absent from OTAs while his name continues to be mentioned in trade rumors. We’re operating under the assumption that he’s dealt, as is our Patriots insider Phil Perry in his most recent 53-man roster projection.
Here are the six wideouts we have making the Patriots’ roster out of camp:
A.J. Brown
2025 stats: 78 catches, 1,003 yards, seven TDs
Daelyn Waters/NBC Sports Boston
Daelyn Waters/NBC Sports Boston A.J. Brown should add a new dimension to the Patriots’ offense.
Brown is ready to lead the Patriots’ wide receiver room as Drake Maye’s clear-cut No. 1 target. The three-time Pro Bowler gives New England the elite wideout it has coveted for the last several seasons.
In Philadelphia, Brown grew frustrated with his lack of usage in the offense. That shouldn’t be an issue in Foxboro. The only question is whether Brown can stay healthy, as he has experienced hamstring and knee issues in recent seasons.
Romeo Doubs
2025 stats: 55 catches, 724 yards, six TDs
Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images
Kayla Wolf-Imagn Images Romeo Doubs signed a four-year deal worth up to \$80 million in free agency.
Doubs slots in as a solid No. 2 in the Patriots offense after signing a four-year deal worth up to $80 million in free agency.
The ex-Green Bay Packer gives Maye a reliable third-down and red-zone target — something the offense needs after struggling to score in the red zone in 2025. He should be a rock-solid WR2 behind Brown.
Kyle Williams
2025 stats: 10 catches, 209 yards, three TDs
Kevin DuCharme/NBC Sports Boston
Kevin DuCharme/NBC Sports Boston The Patriots hope to see second-year WR Kyle Williams carve out a bigger role with the team in 2026.
After an unremarkable rookie season, Williams will look to carve out a bigger role in the Patriots’ offense in Year 2.
The third-round draft pick out of Washington State was targeted only 21 times while taking the field for only 31 percent of the offensive snaps. He was almost exclusively used as an X receiver in 2025, but New England should look to find new ways to utilize his explosiveness next season.
Mack Hollins
2025 stats: 46 catches, 550 yards, two TDs
David Butler II-Imagn Images
David Butler II-Imagn Images Mack Hollins had a prominent role in the Patriots’ offense and in the locker room last season.
In his first Patriots season, Hollins posted the second-most catches and receiving yards in his eight-year career. The veteran gave Maye a weapon both on the outside and on the inside as a big-bodied slot WR. He should continue to have a prominent role in 2026, even with Brown now in the mix.
DeMario Douglas
2025 stats: 31 catches, 447 yards, three TDs
Kathryn Riley/Getty Images
Kathryn Riley/Getty Images DeMario Douglas was effective despite his decreased usage in 2025.
Despite a strong 2025 season, Douglas’ usage in the Patriots offense dipped significantly in 2026. He played only 26 percent of snaps, resulting in career lows in targets (46), catches (31), and yards (447).
Still, Douglas was effective in his role as a part-time slot wideout. By no means is he a lock to make the roster, but he currently projects as a solid rotational piece for Drake Maye in what should be a more dynamic passing game. His biggest threat for a roster spot is the final player on our list:
Efton Chism III
2025 stats: Three catches, 75 yards, one TD
Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images
Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Efton Chism III will compete for a larger workload after making the team as an undrafted free agent last year.
Chism made the team as an undrafted free agent out of Eastern Washington last year. He wasn’t used much in the offense, earning only three targets in eight games, but he should get a chance in training camp to compete for more playing time.
With Stefon Diggs no longer in the picture, there are plenty of snaps for the taking in the slot.
