Jul 28, 2025; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs (8) heads to the practice fields for training camp at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Patriots' Stefon Diggs Hit With Sobering Reality Check

Originally posted on New England Patriots on SI
By Matthew Schmidt | Last updated Aug 11, 2025 12:00 PM ET

The New England Patriots entered the offseason knowing they desperately needed help at wide receiver, so they definitely made a concerted effort to address the gaping hole.

While the Patriots made numerous additions at the position, their headliner was Stefon Diggs, a four-time Pro Bowler who put together six straight 1,000-yard campaigns between 2018 and 2023.

The problem is that Diggs played in just eight games with the Houston Texans last season, tearing his ACL midway through the year. That resulted in a rather shaky free-agent market for the 31-year-old, who ultimately inked a three-year, $69 million contract ($26 million guaranteed) with New England.

Diggs is expected to be the Pats' No. 1 receiver in 2025, even if he is recovering from a major injury. However, not everyone is so bullish on the former fifth-round pick.

In fact, Bleacher Report's Joe Tansey has listed Diggs among a small group of potential bust candidates to avoid in Fantasy Football this year.

"The Patriots want the player who had six straight 1,000-yard seasons to show up in their offense, but he's another year older and dealing with early injury issues," Tansey wrote. "Diggs was questionable for the Pats' preseason opener with a knee issue. That's not ideal for a player working to build chemistry with a young quarterback. The chemistry already developed between Drake Maye and DeMario Douglas could affect Diggs' early-season production."

Douglas was Maye's top wide receiver in 2024 and will surely be one of his go-to receivers again this fall, but whether or not Maye will actually prioritize Douglas over Diggs remains to be seen.

We know what Diggs can do when he is healthy. Back in 2020, he led the NFL in both receptions (127) and receiving yards (1,535). He also hauled in 107 receptions for 1,183 yards and eight touchdowns as recently as 2023. However, with the University of Maryland product now being older and having a serious injury in his rearview mirror, there is no doubt he is a question mark.

We'll see if Diggs can prove his doubters wrong in a few weeks.

This article first appeared on New England Patriots on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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