Head to Head

Updated June 3, 2026 from live stats

Bryce Young vs Drake MayeWho should you start in 2026 fantasy football?

Drake Maye is the better fantasy start for 2026, averaging 20.7 PPG to Bryce Young's 13.6 in 2025. Full head to head breakdown below.

The Bottom Line

Drake Maye is the better fantasy play this season.

Drake Maye is clearly the better fantasy option heading into 2026. With 20.7 PPG and 4,846 total yards in 2025, the production separation is too wide to overcome on matchup alone. Bryce Young (13.6 PPG) is a hold, not a sell, but roster Drake Maye as the starter and Bryce Young as depth.

High confidence: stats strongly favor the leader, and the gap is unlikely to close on matchup alone.

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QBCarolina Panthers#28

Bryce Young

PPG

13.6

Games

Pass Yds

3,011

Pass TDs

Rush Yds

216

Rush TDs

Bye

Week 5

QBNew England Patriots#2PPG LEADER

Drake Maye

PPG

20.7

Games

Pass Yds

4,394

Pass TDs

Rush Yds

450

Rush TDs

Bye

Week 11

The Edge Chart

Bryce Young

Drake Maye

Head to Head

13.6 PPG20.7 PPG

16 GP17 GP

Bye: Week 5Bye: Week 11

Fantasy Tiers

Bryce Young: Tier 4 (Bench/Bye Fill) QB (ranked #28 at the position). Drake Maye: Tier 1 (Elite) QB (ranked #2 at the position). Among the top 32 quarterbacks this season, Bryce Young is producing at 62% of elite pace and Drake Maye at 94%. That ranking gap means Drake Maye carries more trade value and a higher draft cost in 2026.

Bryce Young vs Drake Maye: The Full Breakdown

Drake Maye and Bryce Young are at different tiers heading into 2026. The New England Patriots quarterback averaged 20.7 PPG in 2025, a full 7.1 points per game ahead of Bryce Young's 13.6 with the Carolina Panthers. That kind of gap doesn't close on matchup alone.

Drake Maye carries a 7.1-point PPG advantage from the 2025 season. That baseline matters, but it is one input among several. Matchup difficulty, scoring trends, and injury reports move the needle week to week, which is why the best answer changes depending on when you are asking.

Drake Maye offers meaningful rushing upside with 450 yards on the ground in 2025, which separates his floor from a pocket passer like Bryce Young (3011 passing yards, 23 touchdowns). In games where the passing matchup looks ugly, that rushing production can be the entire difference on a start/sit call.

Bryce Young has his bye in Week 5, and Drake Maye rests in Week 11. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at quarterback for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.

Trade Value + Dynasty Outlook

If you can acquire Drake Maye at a discount because your league-mates undervalue quarterback production, do it. Bryce Young is a reasonable sell-high candidate if his recent games have spiked above his season average. Dynasty outlook: Bryce Young (age 24) is in the early stages of his career with 5+ years of starter-caliber upside. His dynasty value is rising. Drake Maye (age 23) is in the early stages of his career with 5+ years of starter-caliber upside. His dynasty value is rising.

Did You Know?

•Drake Maye outscored Bryce Young by a projected 121 total fantasy points over a full 17-game season.
•Drake Maye played 17 games in 2025 compared to Bryce Young's 16. That durability gap means Drake Maye contributed more total fantasy points even before you look at per-game averages.
•Drake Maye scored 35 total touchdowns in 2025 (2.1 per game), making him one of the more reliable scoring options at quarterback.
•Drake Maye added 450 rushing yards in 2025, which historically correlates with a higher fantasy floor in bad passing matchups.

Detailed Stat Breakdown

Bryce Young vs Drake Maye: 2025 fantasy football stat comparison in the half-PPR scoring format.
Stat	Bryce Young	Drake Maye
PPG (Half-PPR)	13.6	20.7
Games Played	16	17
Total Fantasy Pts (est.)	218	352
Passing Yards	3,011	4,394
Passing TDs	23	31
Pass Yds/Game	188.2	258.5
Rushing Yards	216	450
Rushing TDs	2	4
Total TDs	25	35
TDs/Game	1.6	2.1
Age	24	23
Experience	2 yrs	1 yrs
Bye Week	Week 5	Week 11

Summary

Based on 2025 production, Drake Maye holds the PPG edge with strong output at 20.7 points per game. Bryce Young averaged 13.6 PPG. Season averages are a starting point, not the final word. For a full AI analysis factoring matchup quality, recent form, injury impact, and game script, download DraftCall and get a verdict backed by real data.

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Frequently Asked Questions

Should I start Bryce Young or Drake Maye in fantasy football?▾

Based on 2025 season averages, Drake Maye has the edge at 20.7 PPG compared to Bryce Young's 13.6 PPG. However, the best start depends on weekly matchup, recent form, and injury status. DraftCall's app provides real-time AI-powered verdicts that factor in all of these variables.

How many fantasy points did Bryce Young and Drake Maye average in 2025?▾

Bryce Young averaged 13.6 fantasy points per game (half-PPR) across 16 games in 2025. Drake Maye averaged 20.7 PPG over 17 games. That is a difference of 7.1 points per game.

When are Bryce Young and Drake Maye's bye weeks in 2026?▾

Bryce Young (CAR) has a bye in Week 5, and Drake Maye (NE) has a bye in Week 11. Plan your roster accordingly if you are carrying both players.

Is Bryce Young or Drake Maye a better fantasy quarterback in 2026?▾

Drake Maye outscored Bryce Young by 7.1 PPG in 2025, which gives him the edge heading into 2026. For a week-by-week verdict, DraftCall's AI analyzes matchup quality and recent trends in real time.