Mack Hollins leads Pats with 51 yards

Vrabel said he’ll have more information on Hollins shortly, but added that Hollins may miss a few days of practice. Hollins exited Week 4’s game against the Bills with a non-contact injury, leaving the field with a 3-53-0 line on four targerts. Hollins has seen 13 targets over the last two weeks while running the third-most routes (45) of any receiver. We’ll likely know more about the severity of his injury soon, but he could be at risk of missing Week 5’s game against the Raiders.

Hollins went down when he cut to the sideline on an out route. He had to hobble off the field and was immediately taken into the locker room. The Patriots have not ruled him out yet, but we’d be surprised if he returned today. Romeo Doubs should continue to see the vast majority of targets. Hollins had 53 yards receiving on 3-of-4 targets before getting hurt.

Hollins looked the part of Drake Maye’s top option against Jacksonville, dominating air yards and easily leading all pass catchers in targets. Hollins manhandled much smaller Jaguars defensive backs throughout the game and nearly came down with a long play that would have put him over 100 yards on the day. Hollins, who had just two grabs last week against the Steelers, could have some flex viability in Week 4 against the Bills, especially if Maye and the Pats are once again chasing points in the second half.

Schefter and other reporters previously called it a 4-6 week injury, which now seems unlikely. Schefter did add that Brown is moving “pretty well” and could come back on the faster side of his updated timeline. Still, it looks like Brown will miss at least half of the regular season. Romeo Doubs will operate as the team’s No. 1 receiver until he returns, though it will likely be a group effort to replace Browns’ production. Mack Hollins and Demario Douglas will also be more involved.

Hollins quietly led Patriots wide receivers in snaps in the first game without A.J. Brown. He saw just two targets on the day, catching both for a total of 18 yards in a subpar offensive day. The Pats pass-catchers are a mix of low-ceiling fantasy viability as Maye spreads the wealth around the different receivers. Better offensive days are ahead for the Patriots but Hollins is a WR5 play at best for Week 3 against the Jaguars.

Schefter added Brown will miss four to six weeks with the high ankle sprain he sustained on Wednesday night against the Seahawks. It could be much longer than that before Brown is back to full health and operating as the Patriots’ alpha WR1. For now, Mack Hollins will slide into three-receiver sets and Romeo Doubs — who didn’t catch any of his three targets against Seattle — will likely function as Drake Maye’s top option. Demario Douglas could be an interesting add in deeper formats after leading the team with seven targets in Week 1.

This doesn’t come as much of a surprise after it was reported on Thursday that Brown could miss at least the next four games. Now that he finds himself on injured reserve, the star receiver won’t be able to return until at least Week 6 when the Patriots play host to the Jets. Brown caught just three passes for 26 yards in his debut with the Patriots before exiting the game. After running just four routes in the first half of Wednesday’s game, Mack Hollins ran 22 routes in the second half and should see an increase in snaps in the coming weeks. Brown’s absence should also pave the way for Romeo Doubs to see more looks in the passing game after he saw just three targets in Week 1.

Garafolo added, “MRI today after X-rays were negative.” That’s a good sign, but there is currently no timeline for Brown’s return. It will ultimately be a multi-week injury that could linger well into the season. Demario Douglas led the Pats with seven targets last night, though his looks are generally low-value check-downs. Mack Hollins and Romeo Doubs will serve as the team’s primary outside receivers until Brown is healthy. Hollins led the Pats in receiving yards at a modest 51. Hollins is worth adding in deeper leagues, but it’s hard to imagine him putting up anything more than WR4 numbers while Brown is sidelined. Doubs should improve in Week 2 after failing to catch any of his three targets versus the Seahawks. He will get another shot at WR3 numbers against Pittsburgh next week.

A Seattle defender landed on Brown’s leg in the third quarter and the former Eagle clutched at his ankle as soon as he hit the ground. Brown eventually made his way off the field and limped to the locker room. He was listed as questionable for roughly a quarter, but the team has now ruled him out. The immediate worry will be that Brown suffered a dreaded high ankle sprain. That would sideline him for multiple weeks, though it’s too early to say much about the injury. Mack Hollins, Romeo Doubs, and Demario Douglas will all see some extra routes sans Brown.

Hollins was the only Pat to post an above-average box score in a title tilt where their offensive line got utterly dominated. Battling with Kayshon Boutte for the Patriots’ primary down-field role, 32-year-old Hollins posted the second highest yardage total of his career (550) despite missing two games with injury. Playing on his fifth time in five years, his 46 receptions were also his second most. Excellent stuff, though Hollins’ most notable contribution remains his blocking. Signed for $2.9 million in 2026, Hollins should be back with the Pats, though his salary is not guaranteed. Although the Patriots had success with this year’s motley receiving crew, upgrading the corps figures to be an offseason priority.