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          Running backs should become bigger factors in Patriots' passing game

          • Mike Reiss, ESPN Staff WriterSep 16, 2017, 11:00 AM ET
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              Mike Reiss is an NFL reporter at ESPN and covers the New England Patriots. Reiss has covered the Patriots since 1997 and joined ESPN in 2009. In 2019, he was named Massachusetts Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association. You can follow Reiss on Twitter at @MikeReiss.
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          Every Saturday, some of the hot topics surrounding the New England Patriots will be explored.

          Nick, I think Rex Burkhead can do it -- he lined up there at times with the Cincinnati Bengals -- but he downplayed the possibility. “I don’t really work in there specifically; running backs, we run some routes out of the backfield and stuff. Whatever role the coaches want me to do, I’m more than happy to do that," Burkhead explained. Even if Burkhead is in the slot, I don't think he's the same quick-twitch threat as receivers Julian Edelman, or to a lesser degree, Danny Amendola. So the Patriots might do some different things conceptually to play to the fifth-year pro's strengths if he aligns there. One thing I feel confident about: Burkhead should play more than the 10 offensive snaps he did in Week 1. I could envision a personnel package with him and James White on the field together that provides a dual threat in the running and passing games.

          Andrew, I wrote on Rob Gronkowski on Friday morning and how he said he feels good physically. If the tight end is held in check for a second week in a row, maybe then I'd start to consider an alternative line of thinking. But it's too early for that right now. As for Phillip Dorsett, he isn't really a slot receiver as much as an outside threat.

          I always start with snaps played, as the thinking is that the more a player is on the field, the better chance he has for top production. I expect Chris Hogan to play close to every offensive snap Sunday at New Orleans. Couple that with a shaky Saints defense, and I would endorse the line of thinking that Hogan is well positioned to put up some significant numbers. He was quiet in the opener, with one catch for 8 yards and three rushes for 17 yards, and the Chiefs' coverage deserves some credit for that. I don't view the Saints' defense in the same light as the Chiefs' and believe it will be hard to keep Hogan down for a second consecutive game.

          Dante, unless the Patriots promote a receiver off the practice squad, Phillip Dorsett will be No. 3 on the depth chart, which could position him for possibly playing more than the 18 snaps he got in the opener, when he was thrust into action unexpectedly after Amendola was knocked out. It might be too much to ask, however, for him to be part of the two-minute package and all that comes with that fast-paced attack. So I wouldn't be surprised if that two-minute package ultimately includes two running backs or two tight ends, which would be different from the norm.

          Steve, I don't see a one-for-one exchange that makes up for the loss of linebacker Dont'a Hightower because of Hightower's knowledge of the defense and communication skills, but Harvey Langi impressed me in the preseason and in training camp. I view him as a "contact" player: physical and plays with an edge. There's always going to be a learning curve for a rookie, but Langi should be part of the mix to help fill the multilayered Hightower void. It will, however, take more than one player.

          Brandon, this has a shot of happening Sunday based on the present snapshot because the Patriots already have ruled out four players -- Hightower (right knee), Amendola (concussion, knee), special-teams captain Matthew Slater (hamstring) and defensive tackle Vincent Valentine (knee) -- which means they have only three more players to declare inactive (assuming there are no other roster changes). That's the first hurdle for Jacob Hollister to clear: getting on the 46-man, game-day roster. Once he is, the Patriots could use the rookie's pass-catching skills in certain situations given their shortage at receiver. He caught the ball well in the preseason.