Tag: Brandon Bolden

Damien Harris cleared to play in Week 11 vs. Falcons; 13 Patriots questionable

The Patriots released their practice injury report ahead of of Thursday’s game

The New England Patriots wrapped up Wednesday’s practice with no players doubtful or out for Thursday’s contest with the Atlanta Falcons. They did, however, move linebacker Josh Uche onto injured reserve and activate linebacker Chase Winovich from the IR.

Running back Damien Harris and returner Gunner Olszewski were cleared to play after missing Week 10 with concussions.

There were 13 players listed as questionable, as the Patriots begin their final preparations for a short week. Jake Bailey, (right knee), LB Ja’Whaun Bentley (ribs),  RB Brandon Bolden(hip), OT Trent Brown (calf),  K Nick Folk, left knee, WR N’Keal Harry, (knee), LB Dont’a Hightower (ankle), LG Shaq Mason (abdomen), S Jalen Mills side, TE Jonnu Smith (shoulder),  LB Kyle Van Noy, groin), S Kyle Dugger (ankle) and DE Deatrich Wise Jr. (illness). All players were limited in Wednesday’s practice.

Kickoff time between the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons is set for 8:20 p.m. ET.

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Mac Jones gives high praise to Brandon Bolden: ‘That’s my guy’

Mac Jones had high praise for Brandon Bolden on Sunday.

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New England Patriots running back Brandon Bolden had a big hand in the team’s 24-6 win on Sunday. Bolden and Mac Jones provided a large chunk of offense for the Patriots.

Bolden tallied eight carries for 54 yards, while catching two passes for 27 yards. The rushing yards were the most he recorded in a game this season. It was his highest output since December 9, 2018, when he rushed the ball two times for 60 yards.

Jones finished with 139 yards on the day and tallied a touchdown and an interception. Against a stout Panthers defensive line, Bolden’s contributions did not go unnoticed.

“He’s a great dude, that’s my guy,” Jones said during a postgame press conference on Sunday. ‘He’s just a great team player, and he’s obviously been in the NFL for a long time, just like James ( White) has. ‘He’s  seen a lot of football , and he just helps the team win in any way he can. He makes plays, like you saw the over-the-shoulder catch was an exceptional catch. We needed the play, so he stepped up. He did a good job running the ball, he is fast and strong,

“He’s a great teammate too, which is really important. He has my back, and he has other people’s back on our offense. He keeps it positive, and that’s what makes it really fun to play with him.”

Sunday marked the second time in three weeks in which Bolden played a sizable part in the Patriots offense. He caught six passes for 79 yards and a touchdown against the New York Jets on October 24. He has already surpassed his 2019 production, after opting to sit out the 2020 season.

Jones and Bolden will look to continue their good rapport as they will face a talented Cleveland Browns defense next Sunday.

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Winners and losers from Patriots’ dominant victory against the Panthers

Here are the winners and losers from the Patriots’ commanding win over the Panthers.

It’s November and the New England Patriots are finally appearing to be in mid-season form.

Bill Belichick’s team has three consecutive victories and is now undefeated on the road (4-0) following the 24-6 win over the Carolina Panthers. Mac Jones struggled in the first half after throwing an interception to Stephon Gilmore and losing a fumble. The Patriots running back crew was the spark plug for the offense and the rush defense was dominant the entire game.

The Patriots now have back-to-back wins over solid teams and the momentum is starting to build for a playoff run. Barring health issues, the Patriots are on gearing up for a spot in the playoffs.

Here’s the winners and losers from the game.

Patriots vs. Chargers 2021 live stream: Time, TV schedule and how to watch online

How to watch the New England Patriots vs. Los Angeles Chargers

https://embed.sendtonews.com/oembed/?SC=ZDOqnjLXey-1583293-7498&format=json&offsetx=0&offsety=0&floatwidth=400&floatposition=bottom-right&float=on

The New England Patriots (3-4) are hitting the road to take on the Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) in Week 8.

Mac Jones and the Patriots are riding momentum from a 54-13 rout of the New York Jets. Jones had his first 300-yard game and the running backs totaled five touchdowns, which will be useful against the Chargers who have the second-worst rush defense. Jonathan Jones is out for the season and the Patriots’ secondary is the biggest concern.

Justin Herbert is becoming one of the league’s most explosive quarterbacks and he’ll cause issues for the Patriots and the aforementioned secondary. The Chargers are at home and coming off a bye week — so Bill Belichick will have his hands full.

Here’s how to watch:

Game information:

New England Patriots at Los Angeles Chargers

Sunday, Oct. 31, 4:05 p.m. ET

SoFi Stadium, Inglewood, CA

Live stream:

FuboTV (try it free).

Television channels:

CBS

WBZ-TV Channel 4

Broadcasters:

Ian Eagle (play-by-play)

Charles Davis (play-by-play)

Evan Washburn (sideline)

Radio:

98.5 The Sports Hub

Betting odds (Per Tipico Sportsbook):

  • Money line: Patriots +190 (bet $100 to win $190) | Chargers -240 (bet $240 to win $100)
  • Against the spread (ATS): Patriots +5.5, -108 (bet $108 to win $100) | Chargers -5.5, -112 (bet $112 to win $100)
  • Over/Under (O/U): 48.5, O: -108 (bet $108 to win $100) | U: -112 (bet $112 to win $100)

Weather:

66 degrees

Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

And then there were none.

The Cardinals fell to the Packers despite all of their starting receivers were out of the game. Even then, the Cardinals were in excellent shape to win  or at least tie it with a field goal, just so long as the Arizona receivers would remember a route is not complete until you turn around. The gift interception doused the comeback fuse right before it reached the dynamite.

So heading into Week 8, the fantasy-regular season is half over for most leagues, but there are still seven or eight games left for all those fantasy starters on injured reserve to get back onto the field. We’re not quite to the point in the season where you’ll say, “Okay, if I can just win the rest of my games…”

Hopefully,  we’ll see an interesting trade or two before 4 P.M. EST on Tuesday, November 8. But there are things happening for this weekend that are worth watching.

1.) RB Phillip Lindsay (HOU) – The Texans moved Mark Ingram to the Saints that signals the fire sale is on, and the Texans are looking to collect draft picks while losing games for better placement in the 2022 NFL draft. Offensive coordinator Tim Kelly has used a committee approach with three running backs, so what happens now? The Texans average 26 touches from their backfield and have already used all three backs.

The question is, where do Ingram’s touches go? David Johnson has been more of the third-down back. Ingram was the primary rusher with 92 carries while Johnson (27) and Lindsay (38) were just lesser parts of the rushing game. It will be interesting to see how the distribution will be handled. Adding Ingram’s carries to Lindsay will make him a full-time back with an average of 19 carries per week. With the NFL serving up a constantly changing set of injured running backs, any player with more than a dozen carries ill be owned.

2.) RB Mark Ingram (NO) – He returns to the Saints where he played from 2011 to 2018, and while he was gone for two and a half years, the same offense and offensive coordinator remain. His usage will be interesting since the Saints used Tony Jones for up to 11 rushes as the back-up to Alvin Kamara, but no running back carried more than twice since Jones was injured in Week 4. The Saints need someone desperately since Kamara is on a path to rush 323 times, but his career-high was only 194 rushes. He’ll break down even more than the usual one or two missed games.

Ingram’s role should provide at least minor fantasy value each week. His final season in New Orleans had him with an average of 12 rushes and two receptions per game. Ingram is 31 years old now, and there’s a legitimate concern that he’s hit the wall and in decline. We’ll find out.

3.) WR Jamal Agnew (JAC) – The Jaguars’ progress with their passing offense is worth tracking since Trevor Lawrence is improving and the Jaguars have one of the lightest schedules for wide receivers. They face the Colts (twice), Jets, Texans, Falcons, and Patriots over the final weeks of the season. Marvin Jones finally had a 100-yard performance last week versus the Dolphins. Laviska Shenault hasn’t scored yet but is consistent with 60 yards games. But the departure of DJ Chark impacted Jamal Agnew the most with the last two games starting to create some fantasy value.

Agnew posted six catches for 41 yards against the Titans in Week 5 when he was first used. He then gained 78 yards on five receptions versus the Dolphins. The trading of Dan Arnold to the Cardinals removed another receiver from the passing scheme. Agnew is trending toward being fantasy-relevant and only started being used two games ago.

4.) RB Kenneth Gainwell (PHI) – Miles  Sanders is week-to-week with an ankle injury, and that means that Kenneth Gainwell and Boston Scott will handle the backfield duties. When Sanders was injured at Las Vegas, the duo took over with Scott (7-24, TD) and Gainwell (5-20) sharing the load. The receiving duties fell to Gainwell (4-41, TD), who had caught as many as six passes for 58 yards in past games. Scott is a third-year back that’s proven to be a more than adequate plug-n-play when injuries happen to starting running backs. But Gainwell could be more.

The Eagles drafted the Memphis rusher with their fifth-round pick as the ninth running back selected. He’s built like a third-down back at 5-11, 195 pounds, and already made a difference as a receiver. The Eagles could just use Scott as a 1:1 replacement for Sanders or bump up the talented Gainwell as a rusher.  Facing the Lions and then Chargers will provide an easier spot in the schedule to see what Gainwell can do.

5.) RB Myles Gaskin / RB Salvon Ahmed (MIA) – The Dolphins placed Malcolm Brown on injured reserve with a quadriceps injury, and the only corresponding move was to add Duke Johnson to their practice squad. It is entirely possible that the loss of Brown just results in adding work for Myles Gaskin and he ran a season-best 15 times  for 67 yards last week versus the Falcons, and he scored on his four catches for 10 yards.  Brown consumed up to nine touches per game, so his absence is either going to push Gaskin up to be a weekly fantasy option, or Ahmed gets more work and the committee approach continues.

6.) New England backfield – Damien Harris is the clear primary back and doesn’t share nearly as much as the position would in years past. The loss of James White probably helped his increased workload. But after him, the rotation seems even more “on a whim” than in past years. Rhamondre Stevenson was inactive last week and running for 23 yards and a touchdown on five carries in Week 6, plus catching three passes for 39 yards.  Last week in the easiest matchup of the year, Harris blew up on the Jets. Brandon Bolden went from two touches for two yards (Week 6) to six catches for 79 yards and one score.

J.J. Taylor even ran in two touchdowns on his nine rushes for 21 yards during mop-up time in the fourth quarter.  That led to Stevenson being dumped in many leagues and that’s hard to argue against. It is believed that he was inactive because he missed a tackle that resulted in a sack in Week 6. This is a mess and an ever-changing situation behind Damien Harris. But this is also the No. 4 fantasy backfield and it is worth tracking because Harris will play in his eighth game of the year on Sunday. In his three previous seasons, his personal best was only ten games. Of the 48 possible games in his first three years, he only played in 19.

New England’s offseason offensive vision comes to focus in rout of the Jets

The New England Patriots had a vision for their offense this offseason. Perhaps that vision became clear Sunday in a rout of the Jets.

This spring was a season of transition for the New England Patriots, marked by new faces on both sides of the football. With the acquisitions made on both offense and defense, it seemed that the organization had a clear vision for their future in a post-Tom Brady world, particularly on offense.

On Sunday against the New York Jets, that vision perhaps finally came into focus.

The Patriots impressed on both sides of the football in a 54-13 rout of their AFC East rivals, improving to 3-4 on the young season and keeping the idea of playoffs alive for fans.

That vision that was laid back in the spring? Perhaps a return to the start of the Brady Era, with an offensive attack that ran through the running game and the ball-control passing game. We saw that in action on Sunday, as the Patriots took care of business against the Jets.

Tunnel Vision of Week 6

Tunnel Vision – a look back at Sunday for fantasy free agents, injuries and notable performances.

SUNDAY SALUTES
Quarterbacks Pass-Rush TD
Kirk  Cousins 373 – 16 3
 Matthew Stafford 251 – 12 4
 Jalen Hurts 115 – 44 3
 Patrick Mahomes 397 – 31 2
 Dak Prescott 445 – 10 2
Running Backs Yards TD
Jonathan Taylor 14-145 rush
1-13 catch		 2
Leonard Fournette 22-81 rush
6-46 catch		 2
Darrell Henderson 18-94 rush
5-59 catch		 2
Joe Mixon 18-94 rush
3-27 catch		 1
Darrel Williams 21-62 rush
3-27 catch		 2
Wide Receivers Yards TD
Cooper Kupp 9-130 2
CeeDee Lamb 9-149 1
Adam Thielen 11-126 1
Jaylen Waddle 10-70 2
D. Peoples-Jones 4-101 2
Tight Ends Yards TD
Noah Fant 9-97 1
Mike Gesicki 8-115 0
Travis Kelce 8-99 0
Mark Andrews 5-68 1
O.J. Howard 6-49 1
Placekickers XP FG
Matt Prater 4 3
Greg Zuerlein 2 3
Matthew Wright 2 3
Chris Boswell 2 3
Daniel Carlson 4 2
Defense Sack – TO TD
Colts 2 – 3 0
Raiders 5 – 4 0
Rams 4 – 4 0
Cowboys 2 – 2 1
Cardinals 5 – 3 0

Bumps, Bruises and Bowouts

QB Baker Mayfield – Shoulder
QB Dak Prescott – Calf
RB Latavius Murray – Ankle
RB Kareem Hunt – Calf
RB Antonio Gibson – Shin
WR Odell Beckham – Shoulder
WR Kadarius Toney – Ankle
WR C.J. Board – Arm
WR Parris Campbell – Foot
WR T.Y. Hilton – Quad
WR Terrace Marshall – Concussion
WR Chris Conley – Neck

Chasing Ambulances

QB Baker Mayfield (CLE) – Said that he dislocated the shoulder on his non-throwing arm, and it slipped out during a non-contact play. Mayfield says he will play through the injury, and the Browns have lost most of their receivers anyway.

QB Dak Prescott (DAL) – Injured his calf at the end of the win over the Patriots. The Cowboys are on bye, so he’ll have two weeks to heal up.

RB Latavius Murray (BAL) – Injured his  ankle and had to limp off the field. Head coach John Harbaugh said he did not think it was “overly serious,” but more information should be known at least by Wednesday at the latest. The Ravens already have a committee backfield, so missing Murray won’t make Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell, or Ty ‘Son Williams become more relevant. Williams might be active for game day if Murray was to miss any time.

RB Kareem Hunt (CLE) – The Browns were already without Nick Chubb (calf), and then Hunt was carted off the field with a calf injury. The severity will be determined on Monday but the problem is that the Browns play on Thursday night. There may not be time for Chubb or Hunt to be healthy enough to play. D’Ernest Johnson would likely be the primary rusher, despite only three runs on the year. Demetric Felton could see an uptick from his standard two receptions each week. The Browns face the visiting Broncos, who feature one of the best rushing defenses, so it may not matter much in any case.

RB Antonio Gibson (WAS) – He was  already questionable with a lingering shin injury, but Gibson re-aggravated it after ten carries. If he misses Week 7 at the Packers, or even if he continues to be limited, J.D. McKissic will handle the backfield needs. He already ran eight times for 45 yards against the Chiefs and caught a season-high eight passes for 65 yards. He’s already a fantasy option in reception point leagues but rises in value if Gibson is not healthy this week.

WR Odell Beckham (CLE) – Injured his shoulder during a catch and left the field. He jogged to the locker room to be further evaluated. Beckham returned later in the second half, so the injury is not considered serious, but Beckham has a history of shoulder issues.

WR Kadarius Toney (NYG) – After blowing up in Week 5, the rookie rolled his right  ankle in the first quarter and did not return. This was the same ankle that he tweaked the previous game and was questionable to play the Rams. He passed a pregame medical check but re-aggravated the injury.

WR T.Y. Hilton (IND) – He led the Colts with four catches for 80 yards in his 2021 debut but went down with a quad injury and then walked off on his own. Hilton said  he did not believe it was serious, so pending unexpected bad news, Hilton should be available to play at the 49ers this week. It is encouraging that he stepped in and immediately assumed the No. 1 receiver role.

Free Agents, Flops and Other Notables

QB Tua Tagovailoa (MIA)  – Returned from injured reserve, and his broken ribs appeared to be healed when he ran for 22 yards on three rushes. He also threw for 329 yards and two scores to Jaylen Waddle. What was just as good as seeing him immediately renew his connection with Waddle was that he also threw for 115 yards and eight catches to Mike Gesicki, And it was with Will Fuller and Davante Parker out.

WR Jamal Agnew (JAC) – When DJ Chark was lost for the year, it was assumed that Laviska Shenault would benefit most. For the last two games, Shenault caught seven passes while Agnew totaled 11 receptions.  Shenault still fields more targets, but Agnew’s gaining more value the last two weeks.

WR Rashod Bateman (BAL) – Had his first NFL game and while he ended with only 35 yards on four catches, what is notable is that his six targets tied with Mark Andrews for the team-high. Lamar Jackson only threw 27 passes, so the rookie fielded better than one in every five passes. And the Ravens had limited reasons to pass in the blowout win over the Chargers. This week hosting the Bengals will be a critical divisional matchup, and Bateman is quickly integrating into the offense.

RB Chuba Hubbard (CAR) – Christian McCaffrey landed on injured reserve for at least three weeks, but the Panthers appear to be in good hands with the rookie Hubbard. He ran for 61 yards and a touchdown on 16 carries versus the Vikings and added one catch for four yards. Hubbard handled all but one carry for the backfield. The next couple of matchups are at the Falcons and Giants. Hubbard caught as many as five passes in a game, and that role should help support his fantasy value until McCaffrey returns.

RB Khalil Herbert (CHI) – The former third-string back got the start in Week 6 and ran for 97 yards and a touchdown on 19 carries. He added two receptions for 15 yards and handled every backfield touch.

RB Chris Evans (CIN) – Samaje Perine was out on the COVID-19 list, and that allowed the sixth-round rookie out of Michigan to increase his playing time in the win over the Lions. Joe Mixon had a big day in Detroit, but Evans (4-18) saw his first work as a rusher, and added three catches for 49 yards and his first NFL touchdown. He looked good enough that he could start to see more use and muddle the backup role behind Mixon.

QB Jared Goff (DET) – The Lions now have the added pressure of being the only winless team. And head coach Dan Campbell was not pleased with his starting quarterback Jared Goff despite couching his postgame press conference in mostly “whole team” terms. He said that Goff needs to step it up after he posted just 202 yards and one interception on the blowout loss to the visiting Bengals. He’s unlikely to be benched since David Blough isn’t likely the answer either. And he’s been given one of the youngest, most mediocre sets of wide receivers.  The Lions play at the Rams this week, and the losing streak sounds like the Lions are reaching the point of “we gotta do something different because this isn’t working.”

QB Matt Stafford (LAR) – Matt Stafford just threw four touchdowns at the Giants, and that’s the second time in four games he’s accomplished it. He’s hitting a very sweet spot in the schedule with his next games going against the Lions, Texans, and Titans. He’s thrown for two touchdowns to Cooper Kupp in three of the last five weeks.

WR Sterling Shepard / Kadarius Toney (NYG) – The rookie Toney only caught three passes but left in the first quarter with a re-aggravated ankle injury. But Sterling Shepard returned from his hamstring injury and caught a team-high ten passes for 76 yards. In the three full games that he played, he’s averaged nine catches for 93 yards.

RB Darrel Williams (KC) – Clyde Edwards-Helaire injured his MCL and landed on injured reserve for at least another two weeks. So far, the offense is in capable hands with Darrel Williams. He ran for 62 yards and two touchdowns on 21 carries at Washington and added three catches for 27 yards. Jerick McKinnon was limited to only four touches. The Chiefs play the Titans and Giants next, so Williams will remain a fantasy option while Edwards-Helaire is out. The coaches trust Williams.

 WR Donovan Peoples-Jones (CLE) – The Browns keep losing wide receivers with Jarvis Landry out again in Week 6 and Odell Beckham missing the first two games and then getting nicked up the last few weeks. Peoples-Jones stepped up in Week 5 with five catches for 70 yards at the Chargers and then led the Browns with four receptions for 101 yards and two scores in the loss to the Cardinals on Sunday. His second score was a 57-yard Hail Mary touchdown that ended the first half, so don’t be too impressed with his yardage total. Jarvis Landry was activated from injured reserve and should return for Week 7 which would reduce the workload for Peoples-Jones.

RB Rhamondre Stevenson / Brandon Bolden (NE) – When James White was lost for the season, it initially appeared that Brandon Bolden was taking his place when he totaled ten catches over Weeks 4 and 5. But against the Cowboys, Bolden only ran once for a one-yard loss and caught a three-yard pass. Rhamondre Stevenson ran five times for 23 yards and a touchdown, plus caught three passes for 39 yards. And that was in a very close game where every play mattered.  The Jets show up this weekend and bring one of the worst defenses against running backs, so maybe starting Stevenson is safe? Damien Harris is the clear primary back and ran 18 times for 101 yards and a score against the Cowboys, but Stevenson appears to be working his way into being the No. 2 running back.

RB Alex Collins (SEA) – Chris Carson landed on injured reserve a few days ago, so he’ll miss the next two home games against the Saints and Jaguars.  But Alex Collins replaced him this week and ran for 101 yards and one touchdown on 20 carries at the Steelers against the No. 5 defense against running backs. The Seahawks rarely use their running backs as receivers, and DeeJay Dallas takes whatever minor third-down duty there is. But Collins looked sharp and now has two home games before their Week 9 bye.

QB Geno Smith (SEA) – Sunday night was the first time in a decade that the Seahawks started someone different than Russell Wilson. Smith debuted in a road game at the Steelers and only passed for 209 yards and one score. And with a very costly fumble that lost the game and he was sacked five times.  These next two home games against the Saints and Jaguars should get Smith much-needed time with his receivers, but he only completed 23-of-32 passes and surprisingly had no role as a rusher. Downgrades to the receiver’s prospects are realistic. Tyler Lockett caught just two passes for 35 yards, and DK Metcalf settled for just 58 yards on six receptions.

Huddle player of the week

Matthew Wright  –  The undrafted kicker filled in for the Steelers for three games last season and then was signed by the Jaguars after they  lost Josh Lambo a few weeks back. His first two starts saw him with four-of-five field extra-point attempts, and he missed his only field goal attempt.J.D. McKissic

Then he went to London.

He made a 40-yarder in the second quarter.

He made a 54-yarder with 3:40 left to play that tied the score.

He made a 53-yarder as time expired to beat the Dolphins and end the 20-game losing streak.

Salute!

Drama 101 – Somebody has to laugh, somebody has to cry

Comedy Yards TDs Tragedy Yards TDs
QB Teddy Bridgewater 343 3 QB Justin Herbert 207 1
RB Kenyan Drake 73 2 RB Antonio Gibson 44 0
RB Rhamondre Stevenson 62 1 RB Austin Ekeler 55 0
WR D. Peoples-Jones 101 2 WR Mike Evans 27 0
WR K.J. Osborn 78 1 WR Mike Williams 27 0
WR Marvin Jones 100 1 WR Terry McLaurin 28 0
TE Ricky Seals-Jones 58 1 TE Evan Engram 24 0
PK Matthew Wright   2 XP  3  FG PK Tristan Vizcaino   nada
Huddle Fantasy Points = 139 Huddle Fantasy Points = 31

Now get back to work…

Rhamondre Stevenson ‘not really worried’ about Damien Harris’ injury

Bill Belichick still doesn’t have an official update on the New England Patriots running back.

New England Patriots running back Damien Harris was pretty banged up leaving the Week 5 matchup against the Houston Texans.

He left the game early with what the Patriots called a chest injury, but quickly returned. During the Patriots’ game-winning drive to seal the 25-22 victory, Harris took another big shot and left the game for good with a rib injury.

While on the field, the Patriots’ starting back had 14 carries for 58 yards and a touchdown — along with a fumble on the one-yard line that was initially called a score before review. Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden were the only reserves behind Harris and they had to step up, which they did.

The severity of Harris’ injury hasn’t been revealed, but Stevenson displayed hope that it isn’t too serious following the game.

“He’s going to be fine,” Stevenson said, transcribed by NESN. “I mean, he’s a tough dude. He can weather any storm, so I’m not really worried about it. I know he’s not really too worried about it. I know he’s just going to go back to work and get his body back right (and) do whatever he has to do.”

While being asked on Monday morning about the injury, head coach Bill Belichick didn’t have much to offer.

“No, no update yet,” Belichick said.

Sony Michel was traded at the beginning of the season and James White is out for the rest of the year — leaving the Patriots extremely thin at the position. J.J. Taylor and Stevenson are the next-best options if Harris misses a chunk of time.

Establishing the run game is instrumental for the Patriots, so they have some work to do to keep that goal in line.

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Six points with David Dorey

Friday’s quick look at six fantasy items to know

Heading into Week 4, and the NFL is still shifting and refining teams. There are five 3-0 teams, and the Rams are the only ones that went to the playoffs last year. The Chiefs and Steelers won their divisions but are currently in their divisional cellars. Not only can things still change, but there is an extra game for every team.

After three games, we’re starting to get comfortable with how players and teams are shaking out for 2021. We’ve got plenty of injuries left to see, unfortunately, but new opportunities for every replacement player. And with only three games to measure, we’ll later realize how several players opened with an easy spot in their schedule and will decline. And more than a few others who will still come to life once they clear a dark stretch of games that began their year.

Here are six things I am thinking about heading into Week 4 of the NFL season.

1.) James White (NE) – He’s expected to miss the season with a hip injury. He is a locker room leader and a popular player, so his absence impacts more than just his production. He started the season with six catches per game as he reprised the same role that saw him rank in the Top-20 in the final two seasons with Tom Brady. White was replaced by Brandon Bolden, who led the backfield with four targets for three catches and 23 yards. But that was just the response to the situation with the current players on hand. The Saints crushed the Pats 28-13, so there are few assumptions that should be drawn.

Damien Harris is the primary rusher with never more than two catches in any game. Bolden has never caught more than nine passes in a year since 2015. J.J. Taylor has three career receptions over his two years. The rookie Mac Jones has shown that he likes that relief valve of a third-down back, so the passes will continue. Bolden and Taylor are just depth. Rhamondre Stevenson looked great in the preseason, lost a fumble in his first game, and hasn’t been seen since. I expect that either Stevenson steps up and carves out a role as the No. 2 back. Or there will never be anyone that consistently serves as the third-down back. Bolden and Taylor are not new, and the Pats know what they have in them. Stevenson has the upside that at least we cannot know for sure that he won’t matter. Until next week, anyway.

2.) WR David Moore (DEN)  – The Broncos were already thin at wideout with Jerry Jeudy out for 6-8 weeks. Then KJ Hamler tore his ACL and is lost for the season. Tim Patrick subbed for Jeudy with solid results. Now the Broncos are replacing Hamler and grabbed David Moore off the Raider’s practice squad. He spent three years with the Seahawks and scored six times on his 35 catches for 417 yards last year before being released and landing in Las Vegas. The Broncos have already burned through two starting wideouts – never a good sign – and lacked enough talent on the roster to replace Hamler. Moore isn’t yet worth  grabbing, but worth watching.

3.)  WR Robby Anderson, WR Terrace Marshall (CAR) – The Panthers made Marshall their 2.27 pick, and the LSU product has some jets with a 4.38 40-time. He’s been the No. 3 wideout since Week 1 and peaked last Sunday with four catches for 48 yards in the win at Houston. Anderson started the year with only five catches for 103 yards and a score, including the 57-yard touchdown in Week 1 as his only catch. Week 3 saw Anderson with only one reception for eight yards at the Texans. Marshall has been the more productive receiver, but why?

In September, Anderson signed a two-year, $29.5 million contract extension, so he is very much in their plans. And HC Matt Rhule spoke about looking into what has happened. In some cases, Sam Darnold is just not looking to the right side. He’s locked onto D.J. Moore and also focused on McCaffrey, who is no longer an option. The important part is that Rhule realizes that there is a problem that needs to be addressed because they are ignoring their 1,000-yard receiver from last year that they are paying $29.5 million. This week in Dallas should get Anderson involved again, and the following month contains all softer secondaries.

4.) WR Josh Reynolds, WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (TEN) – A.J. Brown  and Julio Jones both have not practiced this week with hamstring issues and are likely to miss their matchup with the Jets, who just lost one of their safeties. That would make starters out of Westbrook-Ikhine and some combination of Chester Rogers and Cameron Batson. But – Josh Reynolds may see the field. He had missed time with an Achilles injury that healed a week or two ago, but he’s been inactive on game days. Westbrook-Ikhine led the receivers  in their win over the Colts when he caught four passes for 53 yards and a touchdown.

Reynolds has no health limitations anymore, and this is why they acquired him in the offseason. He was the de facto No. 2 wideout until Julio Jones was signed. There is no certainty that he is active or has a meaningful game, but this is a situation where they need help. Rogers could remain ahead in targets, but this is Reynolds’ opportunity to get involved if they let him.

5.) WR Stefon Diggs, WR Emmanuel Sanders (BUF) – The Bills wide receivers have not been contributors as they were in 2020. Stefon Digs caught just one touchdown over three games and has yet to gain more than 69 yards. He averaged 96 yards per game last season. Emmanuel Sanders was brought in to take over the flanker and  was held to around 50 yards each week until his five-catch, 94-yard Week 3 that notched two scores on Washington. Cole Beasley also turned in 11 catches for 98 yards in that matchup.

Diggs still averages over ten targets per game. Facing the Steelers, Dolphins, and Washington Football Team went against top cornerbacks, though the same happened last year. These next three games of the Texans, Chiefs, and Titans are all softer secondaries. Diggs has to show up big this week. This is the perfect set-up for him to rebound and Sanders to maintain his higher-volume role.

6.) Laviska Shenault (JAC) – Last nights’ matchup of the Jaguars and Bengals sadly saw DJ Chark break his ankle before he even had a catch. Trevor Lawrence only threw for 204 yards, but Shenault stepped up with six catches for 99 yards. No other receiver had more than three receptions or 29 yards. After being shut down by the Broncos’ secondary in Week 2 when he netted a three-yard loss on two receptions, he was turned back onto many waiver wires and needs to be back on fantasy rosters.

The loss of  Chark should benefit Marvin Jones, but he was held to only three catches for 24 yards.  The passing offense will improve, and is home for Week 5 hosting the Titans. Shenault should be a popular waiver wire add next week.

Extra Points

After three weeks, it is interesting to see how teams rate in different categories.

Highest and lowest rushing attempts – CLE (101), TEN (99), BAL (97) … NYJ (61), PIT (50), TB (48)

Highest and lowest rushing yards – BAL (556), CLE (524), TEN (478) … GB (239), TB (169), PIT (159)

Highest and lowest pass attempts – TB (141), LVR (136), PIT (130) … CLE (80), CIN (75), NO (64)

Highest and lowest pass yards – LVR (1,203), TB (1,087), LAR (1,006) … MIA (599), CHI (400), NO (390)

ESPN’s bold training camp prediction puts Sony Michel out of mix for Patriots

Is it possible the Patriots trade Sony Michel over the next month?

Sony Michel’s future with the New England Patriots has been dicey since last season.

The Patriots exercised Isaiah Wynn’s fifth-year option in May, but declined to pick up Michel’s. The fourth-year running back spent the majority of 2020 with an injury and was only able to play in nine games. The Patriots were big on Damien Harris, who was in his second year, and they relied on him in the ten games he was healthy.

Heading into 2021, the Patriots have seven running backs on the roster and it’s difficult to pinpoint one of them as an easy cut. Harris, James White, Rhamondre Stevenson and Brandon Bolden all seem to be locks. J.J. Taylor was a spark plug last season and has potential to make an impact.

ESPN’s Mike Reiss made a bold prediction for training camp and believes the Patriots could get rid of Michel — likely with a trade.

“Coach Bill Belichick raved about Damien Harris in the first week of training camp, and once fourth-round pick Rhamondre Stevenson came off the non-football injury list a few days into practices, it highlighted how deep the Patriots are at running back,” Reiss wrote. “That sparks a question as to where Michel fits, with Harris and Stevenson roster locks, and receiving back James White, core special teamer/backup Brandon Bolden and sparkplug J.J. Taylor also on the depth chart. Michel, a first-round pick in 2018, could be the odd man out.”

Injuries will play the biggest factor for the Patriots, as both Michel and Harris spent time off the field last season. Things could also dramatically change very quickly and it could lead to Michel becoming the lead back that he was in his rookie season.

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