This series will suggest ideas for players ready for a breakout later. This is the second year of Tomorrow’s Dynasty Star Today – in 2024 we got to Malik Nabers, Bryce Young and Jalen McMillan early before their value peaked. In 2025, I hope to find more players you can buy now that will become stars later – or at least more valuable than what you paid for them!
Kayson Boutte, WR NE
After an exceptional true freshman season at LSU in which he finished with over 700 yards and 5 touchdowns despite sharing the field with Ja’Marr Chase (and Terrance Marshall), Boutte was seen in Dev circles as one of the hottest prospects to watch. I remember working in a smart startup in 2020 (ah, lockdown) and seeing Boutte go in the first round of the college draft. His next two seasons in college didn’t quite live up to the hype, with an injury interrupting his sophomore season when he had already scored nine touchdowns in six games, but his junior year was disappointing for a prospect who seemed so exciting in the first year of his college career.
Unfortunately, his 2021 injury and reported attitude issues had a huge impact on Boutte’s draft stock when it came to him declaring in 2023. It would have been shocking to suggest after 2020 that he would be picked on day three, but Boutte went all the way in the sixth round to the New England Patriots.
After a rookie season in which he had just two receptions, it seemed like the hype train was dead for a player who seemed so exciting in college. But with over 500 yards in 2024, followed by the same again and six receiving touchdowns in 2025, there is a chance for Boutte to finally live up to the potential we saw in college.
Situation
Boutte may have the best situation in the NFL for any wide receiver. He’s paired with a young quarterback in Drake Maye, who is on his way to becoming the face of the NFL (at the time of writing, he just won the AFC Championship and is on his way to the Super Bowl at age 23). Boutte’s skill set also fits perfectly with Maye’s, as he possesses the ability to win deep down the field, highlighted by having the fifth-highest ADOT in the NFL and the highest average yards per target, combined with 26 receptions of 10+ yards on just 33 total receptions in the regular season. According to Pro Football Focus, he has the highest receiving rate and catch rate in the NFL when targeted deep. He’s already one of the NFL’s top threats and this goes way under the radar due to his low draft capital.
But beyond that, Boutte finds himself on an open depth chart that doesn’t have a true elite number one receiver. Stefon Diggs is the team’s clear leader, with nearly double the targets and yards of the next highest wide receiver. But with a team high (at the position) of seven touchdowns, including the regular season and postseason, Boutte’s role on the team becomes quite apparent. Diggs turns 33 this season and his contract is fairly easy to transfer after the 2026 season, so it clearly feels like he can’t be the long-term answer in New England. Therefore, there is a clear opportunity for another young receiver to lead the team as Maye continues to develop. The Patriots could very well target a receiver in the draft, but if that doesn’t work out, Boutte is in prime position to enter 2026 and beyond as the top receiver for the best young quarterback in the NFL.
According to Benjamin Allbright, every reception this season (and every reception but one this postseason) for Boutte has been a scoop or a TD. He has shown his reliability as a weapon and his nose for the end zone. In the playoffs so far, he has a passer rating of 155.8 when targeted. Boutte is becoming one of Drake Maye’s favorite weapons – but it’s still available incredibly cheaply.
Value
According to DLF’s January ADP, Boutte is currently the consensus WR53 and goes off the board in the late 11th round at 1QB at pick 109.
It’s interesting to see that Boutte is just ahead of his teammate Stefon Diggs, but that’s a classic youth versus experience debate. Diggs will likely contribute to your team now, but Boutte is a more interesting choice if your team needs a few years to be able to contribute.
Boutte is an interesting choice in this range. I’d definitely pick him over Adonai Mitchell and Chimere Dike, but I think I’d look at Mike Evans and Stefon Diggs over him right now just based on proven production. Boutte’s ADP in October at 178 was much more exciting than where we currently see him, but he’s still a very intriguing pick in the double-digit rounds. I wouldn’t be surprised if his value rises a bit after a good postseason, especially if he continues it in the Super Bowl in a few weeks. Post-season performance always leads to a spike in value, even if it appears to be just a matter of recency.
Conclusion
Boutte was a fantastic prospect and dominated his freshman season at LSU. He may have fallen off since then, but I’m still a strong believer in his talent, especially reflected in his ability to consistently win deep against some of the best corners in the NFL. Combine that with one of the best situations in the NFL and an ADP in the double-digit rounds among startups and you end up with a player who, with a bounce next year, could easily be seen as one of the top picks in dynasty startups this season.
Thanks for reading Tomorrow’s Dynasty Star Today this season. I hope you enjoyed the series and I look forward to more next year – you can find me at @FF_Pannenkoek to give me your opinion on Boutte in 2025 and beyond.
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