New England

Patriots

This is basically a non-answer from Vrabel, who said the team will see how Brown progresses through the week and how he responds to treatment. Brown missed Week 8’s game against the Dolphins after he suffered what was described as a flare up” of a knee issue that has plagued him for some time. It’s far too early to assume Brown will be able to go in Week 9 against the Packers given the timing of his injury last week, so his status will be one to keep an eye on throughout the week.

Kiner’s most notable usage note is that he was trusted with a carry on 3rd-and-1 during the Patriots’ eighth drive. He was unable to convert it for a first down. Kiner was involved today because TreVeyon Henderson (illness) was inactive. Kiner does not need to be stashed on fantasy football benches in 12-team formats.

Stevenson was held out of the end zone against the Dolphins, but comfortably paced his team with 22 touches and was handed the ball on each of the Patriots’ first three plays. Stevenson ran hard on inside runs and played well as a receiver, as usual. A fake pitch from inside the Dolphins’ five-yard line had at least one Dolphins defender convinced that Stevenson was headed for the end zone, but Drake Maye kept the ball and ran it into the end zone himself. Stevenson remains firmly in play as an RB2 next week against the Packers.

This is particularly unfortunate because Henry was playing well early on, catching 3-of-3 targets for 30 yards. Drake Maye told reporters after the game that he is “worried” about his No. 1 tight end, but added that Henry was “walking around fine” with “a smile on his face” in the locker room post-game. Eli Raridon will be a streaming TE1 against the Packers next week if Henry cannot play.

The Patriots’ rookie tight end got involved early, chipping in a five -yard catch on the team’s first drive. He earned a target at the Dolphins’ five-yard line on the next play, but the pass was thrown inaccurately by a scrambling Drake Maye. Hunter Henry suffered a foot injury in the first half, which allowed Raridon to run as the Patriots’ top tight end. Although he earned a few more targets as the game progressed, unfortunately, Raridon’s lone box score contribution thereafter was a false start on the Patriots’ eighth drive. Despite Raridon’s quiet Week 8 outing, he will warrant streaming TE1 treatment next week against the Packers if Henry is unable to play.

Chism drew the start opposite Kyle Williams in the Patriots’ victory over the Dolphins. Dolphins LB Jacob Rodriguez punched the ball out of Chism’s possession on the wide receiver’s first catch, during the Patriots’ second drive, but the wide receiver corps’ short-staffed state meant coach Mike Vrabel could not bench him. Chism chipped in three catches on the Patriots’ touchdown-scoring eighth drive, including a clutch eight-yard catch on 1st-and-goal from the Dolphins’ 15-yard line that helped set up Drake Maye’s end zone plunge. Chism will be FLEX against the Packers next week if A.J. Brown (knee) remains sidelined.

The Patriots rolled with 12 personnel on their first play from scrimmage, so Douglas began his day on the sideline. Hunter Henry suffered an apparent foot injury early on, which likely afforded Douglas extra snaps via 11 personnel. He made his opportunities count. Douglas critically picked up a first down, powering through contact on 4th-and-2 on the Patriots’ eighth drive. He showed up again on the Patriots’ ninth drive, securing a play-action pass along the right sideline before juking a Dolphins safety and slipping a shoestring tackle attempt from JuJu Brents before racing into the end zone for a 48-yard touchdown. Douglas is a FLEX option against the Patriots next week.

Good things happen when the Patriots get Williams involved downfield. He only caught one pass, but he made it count. Williams got open on a post route way downfield and was able to haul in the well-aimed pass from Drake Maye for a 43-yard score. The play was initially ruled incomplete because Williams accidentally kneed the ball out of his own possession as he entered the end zone, but coach Mike Vrabel smartly challenged the ruling of the play and won. Williams indeed crossed the plane before losing control of the ball. Williams’ workloads are frustratingly unreliable. He’s a boom-bust FLEX next week against the Packers.

Maye’s two-yard touchdown run was a thing of beauty. The Patriots quarterback took off to the right side of the field, faking a pitch to Rhamondre Stevenson, which caused a Dolphins defender to fully bite on it, running right past Maye while the Patriots’ quarterback darted into the end zone. Maye’s first touchdown pass was thrown to Kyle Williams on a post route. It was well-placed, allowing Williams to secure the ball in stride just before entering the end zone. Maye later linked up with DeMario Douglas via play action for his second score. The Patriots’ quarterback is a QB1 against the Packers next week.

Henry briefly returned to the sideline after halftime, where he tested out his injured left foot. Evidently, the sideline testing did not go well. Henry was then taken right back to the locker room by the Patriots’ training staff. If the Patriots do end up ruling him out, as we expect, he will finish the day having caught 3-of-3 targets for 30 yards.