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The future is now for the Patriots at quarterback, as they'll be turning to Mac Jones to start the 2021 season after the release of Cam Newton Tuesday. That means a dramatic shift in expectations for the Patriots offense across the board, though what it actually means depends on the answers to a few questions. So, let's start with the first of those questions now that we know Jones is going to be the starter.

Question 1: How good is Jones? 

Well, that's the biggest one, isn't it? It's also probably the hardest to answer. He was the No. 15 pick in the NFL Draft, though there were rumors that some talent evaluators like him even more than that, so it's safe to say he's quite talented. He doesn't fit the mold of your more typical young quarterbacks these days, given his lack of athleticism, but scouts rave about Jones' accuracy and decision making, and clearly, the Patriots believe in him. 

And he's given them plenty of reasons to believe this preseason. Jones has earned praise for his play in training camp, especially during a stretch when Newton had to be away from the team for a violation of COVID protocols. Jones was also impressive in the preseason, ranking as Pro Football Focus' No. 2 graded QB. He completed 69.2% of his passes on 52 attempts with an average depth of target of 8.9 yards, a sign he was doing more than checking down. 

Of course, rookie quarterbacks, even ones who eventually become very good players, don't often look like stars right away. Jones looks good enough to be a long-term answer for the Patriots, but this is still a pretty mediocre set of weapons he's working with, so the expectation should be that Jones is going to be a below-average passer as a rookie as he takes his lumps and gets up to speed.

Question 2: How does this change how the Patriots play?

Well, they're gonna throw the ball a lot more than they would have with Newton. Newton's rushing ability means it always made more sense to build the offense around that strength, both in terms of designing runs for him and in using his abilities to open up rushing lanes for the running backs. Add in his propensity to take off when pressured, and the Patriots were one of the lowest projected pass volume teams in the league when Newton was penciled in as the starter.

With Jones, that flips. I'm not saying they'll be the Steelers when it comes to pass volume, but they move from a run-first team to a pass-first team in my eyes. 

Also, mark your calendars because tomorrow is the Fantasy Football Today Draft-A-Thon. Here are the details:

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It's going to be a ton of fun and it's all for a great cause, so make sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel so you don't miss it. 

Question 3: What does it mean for the RB?

Well, it means they won't have to share goal-line carries with Newton, which is a pretty big win. Damien Harris is a big winner over the last week with the trade of Sony Michel followed by this, and he should see a pretty healthy amount of volume now while being the primary goal-line back, while Rhamondre Stevenson has become an intriguing late-round sleeper. The rushing game is likely going to be less efficient without Newton, but Harris can make up for a lot of that with the increase in volume.

And yet, I can't quite get him any higher than RB30 in my rankings. He'll be a productive rusher, but there's a ceiling to how good he can be in PPR as long as he doesn't catch passes, and I don't have any reason to think he's going to be a big part of the game plan there. He caught five passes in 10 games a year ago, and with James White around, Harris is going to be just an early-downs back. Given his injury history -- he barely played as a rookie and then had his second season bookended by a broken hand and a serious ankle strain -- Harris is someone you settle for as an RB3. Don't reach for him.

White is another winner with this trade because Jones is going to be more likely to dump it off when pressured than scramble. He's in the RB3/4 range and is an excellent depth pick. 

Question 4: What does it mean for the pass catchers?

More passes! And, probably more catchable passes. Which is good news across the board, though it's tough to get too excited about anyone here besides maybe Jakobi Meyers and the tight ends. Meyers figures to be the No. 1 target and showed solid upside in the second half of last season, making him a viable No. 4 WR with upside for drafts. I also moved Jonnu Smith up to TE8, with Hunter Henry moving up to the TE1 range. The tight ends are harder to trust because the hierarchy is less clear, but I'm comfortable heading into the season with Smith as my No. 1 or Henry as an upside play with touchdown potential. 

I'm not really interested in anyone else here among the pass catchers. 

Question 5: Does Jones have Fantasy appeal?

Eh, not so much. Given how many athletic quarterbacks are out there, you have to really stand out as a passer to be a viable starter if you don't run. Maybe Jones can be that good, but there's no reason to draft Jones in a one-QB league. He's an interesting 2-QB league flier, but I would rather have him as a reserve than one of my two starters. 

So which sleepers, breakouts and busts should you target and fade? And which QB shocks the NFL with a top-five performance? Visit SportsLine now to get Fantasy cheat sheets for every single position, all from the model that called Josh Allen's huge season, and find out.