New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte caught all seven of his targets for 117 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. Boutte finishes 2024 as New England's best receiver. Despite a slow start to the year, he finished his second season with 43 catches, 589 yards, and three touchdowns through 15 games. He has played at least two-thirds of the offensive snaps in each of his last 13 contests, developing into New England's No. 1 option in the passing game. His role atop the depth chart is far from assured heading into 2025, especially with a new coaching regime on the way. However, Boutte has shown that he deserves to be involved, even if that's merely as a deep threat on the perimeter. He continues to trend upward in dynasty leagues, and he should also sneak into the back end of fantasy drafts next summer.
Kayshon Boutte Off Injury Report Ahead Of Season Finale
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (illness) has been removed from the injury report and will play in Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Boutte has seen the field more than any Patriots receiver since Drake Maye was installed as the team's starting quarterback, but it's worth noting that last week's 77 percent snap share was his lowest mark since Week 5. Despite his reduced involvement, he should remain a central part of the Patriots' offensive game plan on Sunday afternoon. Boutte has caught nine of 12 targets for 123 yards and one touchdown over his last two games, and he's trending upward ahead of this week's matchup against a Bills defense that could rest some of its starters. The 22-year-old is a flashy deep threat, and he could use his speed to beat Buffalo defenders, especially those in depth roles. He remains a low-floor, high-ceiling option, ranking as a solid WR4 option in fantasy football.
Kayshon Boutte Returns, Ja'Lynn Polk Still Not Practicing
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (illness) returned to practice on Thursday, but rookie wideout Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) is still not on the practice field as the team continues preparing to face the division-rival Buffalo Bills in the Week 18 regular-season finale on Sunday. None of New England's receivers have been reliable fantasy contributors in one of the league's lowest-scoring offenses in 2024. The Patriots can secure the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL draft if they lose on Sunday, so they probably won't rush any injured skill players onto the field this weekend. In his second year in the NFL, Boutte has improved with a 36-472-2 line on 61 targets over 14 games (12 starts). Polk, meanwhile, has been much less involved as a rookie, catching 12 of 33 targets for only 87 yards and two TDs in 15 games (seven starts).
Kayshon Boutte, Ja'Lynn Polk Absent From Practice Wednesday
New England Patriots wide receivers Kayshon Boutte (illness) and Ja'Lynn Polk (shoulder) did not participate in practice on Wednesday. Boutte has been heavily involved lately, commanding 23 targets over his last four games. His absence from practice is concerning, but the good news is that players are typically able to recover from illnesses within a few days, so Boutte has a real chance to recover in time for Sunday's game against the Buffalo Bills. Polk's status is a little more murky after he injured his shoulder in the middle of last week's loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. The rookie has been quite underwhelming, catching just 12 passes for 87 yards and two touchdowns while struggling with drops. Fantasy managers invested in the statuses of either Boutte or Polk should check back Thursday to see if either receiver can improve to limited or full.
Kayshon Boutte Adds Four Receptions Against Chargers
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte caught four of his five targets for 28 yards during Saturday's Week 17 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers in blowout fashion. Just one week removed from the best game of his career and his second NFL touchdown, Boutte came back down to earth against the Chargers. He still tied for the team lead in targets and catches, but he finished second to DeMario Douglas in total yards and saw his fantasy value slide after failing to find the end zone. Boutte, a second-year receiver out of LSU, remains the No. 2 fantasy receiver in New England but drops to the low-end WR4 tier for Week 18 against the Buffalo Bills.
Kayshon Boutte Gets Favorable Matchup At The Perfect Time
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is a high-ceiling option for Saturday's Week 17 contest against the Los Angeles Chargers. The second-year receiver is coming off the best game of his career, catching five passes for 95 yards and a touchdown against the Buffalo Bills while playing 88 percent of the offensive snaps. Boutte continues to lead all Patriots wide receivers in snaps ever since Drake Maye took over as the starting quarterback, emphasizing the coaching staff's interest in developing (or perhaps forcing) a Maye-Boutte rapport. This approach has produced mixed results in 2024, but it worked last Sunday, and it could pay off again this week against Los Angeles. The Bolts' defense has allowed the sixth-most fantasy points to receivers who operate out wide, which is where Boutte has played 89.9 percent of his snaps. Managers must remain aware that Boutte will still have to compete for targets with Hunter Henry, Austin Hooper, DeMario Douglas, and Kendrick Bourne this week. However, last week's big showing and this week's favorable matchup bode well for the LSU product as he teeters on the border of WR3/FLEX territory in fantasy football.
Kayshon Boutte Paces Patriots Receivers In Big Game Sunday
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte caught five of his seven targets for 95 yards and one touchdown during Sunday's Week 16 loss to the Buffalo Bills. This was the best game of Boutte's young career, topping his showing from Week 6 when he totaled 59 yards and a touchdown in quarterback Drake Maye's first career start. Ever since that game, Maye and Boutte have shown flashes of a connection, with the young receiver consistently playing more than 80 percent of the offensive snaps. It came together in the form of a big game this Sunday, with Boutte's best play being a 28-yard touchdown that opened the scoring in the first quarter. It's unclear whether the LSU product will be able to replicate this showing next week against the Los Angeles Chargers, but at the very least, he deserves to rise in fantasy rankings. Boutte is a low-end WR4 option heading into next Saturday's battle with the Bolts.
Kayshon Boutte Lacks Appeal As Fantasy Playoffs Begin
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is not a reliable fantasy option entering Week 15 against the Arizona Cardinals. While Boutte had three-plus catches in three of the last four games prior to the Patriots' bye, the second-year receiver's upside will be limited this week as he takes on the Cardinals. Boutte has played 89.8 percent of his snaps out wide, and Arizona has allowed the second-fewest fantasy points to receivers operating out wide in 2024. Fantasy managers should look elsewhere such as Boutte's teammate and Patriots slot receiver DeMario Douglas for fantasy production in the WR3/FLEX position this week.
Kayshon Boutte Busy In Week 13, Plays Nearly Every Snap
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte caught three of his six targets for 41 yards during Sunday's Week 13 loss to the Indianapolis Colts. The 22-year-old played 71 of the Patriots' 72 offensive snaps on Sunday; this 99 percent snap share was his highest mark of the season. He now has 12 catches for 127 yards over his last four games, ranking as the overall WR56 in PPR leagues during that span. Boutte's high snap share and big-play ability make him an intriguing depth option in fantasy football, but managers can't justify starting him until he delivers FLEX-caliber production on a more consistent basis. The second-year receiver's next chance to make an impact will come on the other side of the Patriots' bye in Week 15 when they take on the Arizona Cardinals.
Kayshon Boutte Only Worth Considering In Deeper Leagues
New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte is tough to trust in fantasy football ahead of Week 13, but his large role on offense gives him some fantasy relevance in deeper leagues. The second-year pass-catcher has played at least 87 percent of the Patriots' offensive snaps in four consecutive weeks, totaling 11 catches and 104 yards during that span. He typically operates as a deep-threat option in New England, but he has had trouble hauling in big catches over the last few weeks. In fact, Boutte has been less productive than Kendrick Bourne and DeMario Douglas lately despite playing more snaps and running more routes. His deeper-league allure this week comes from the fact that the Colts have struggled to contain pass-catchers, allowing the eighth-most catches, seventh-most receiving yards, and 14th-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers. Boutte ranks as a fringe top-50 fantasy wide receiver, earning WR4 consideration in most formats.