The NFL handed down an indefinite suspension to New England Patriots wide receiver Josh Gordon on Thursday, ending his 2018 season, if not his professional football career.
Gordon’s absence leaves the Patriots hurting at the receiver position. Here’s an updated look at their depth chart entering Sunday’s matchup with the Buffalo Bills at Gillette Stadium:
JULIAN EDELMAN
2018 stats: 92 targets, 63 catches, 711 yards, four touchdowns (631 offensive snaps)
Edelman has performed as well as anyone could have expected after missing all of last season with a torn ACL and the first four games of this season due to suspension. The 32-year-old has battled an ankle injury for much of the year, though, and received medical attention after attempting to break up a Joe Haden interception during Sunday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers at Heinz Field.
The Patriots desperately need Edelman to hold up physically, because he’ll be expected to play close to every offensive snap the rest of the way.
CHRIS HOGAN
2018 stats: 44 targets, 29 catches, 468 yards, three touchdowns (677 offensive snaps)
After a brief pop in Weeks 6 and 7, Hogan has experienced major regression since the start of November. In his last six games, he’s caught zero, zero, two, two, zero and two passes and hasn’t been targeted more than three times despite playing 28 or more snaps in each contest. The 63-yard touchdown he scored against the Steelers was his first since Week 2.
Hogan isn’t solely to blame for this lack of production — he was open on a key third down late in the loss to the Tennessee Titans and didn’t get the ball, and quarterback Tom Brady misfired on what should have been an easy score against the Miami Dolphins — but the Patriots will need more from their new No. 2 receiver.
PHILLIP DORSETT
2018 stats: 32 targets, 27 catches, 256 yards, two touchdowns (333 offensive snaps)
Dorsett has caught each of the last 11 passes Brady has thrown his way, but those 11 targets have come over a 10-game span. After an impressive summer and strong start to the season, the 2015 first-round pick has been practically erased from the offense since Gordon debuted and Edelman returned from suspension in Week 5.
Dorsett hasn’t been targeted in the Patriots’ last three games, and he played just two offensive snaps against Pittsburgh. Expect his playing time to skyrocket this weekend, as he’s best-suited to take over Gordon’s previous role on the outside.
CORDARRELLE PATTERSON
2018 stats: 26 targets, 20 catches, 244 yards, three touchdowns (213 offensive snaps)
Patterson’s been best known this season for his two-game stint as New England’s starting running back, but he’s made some nice plays at his listed position in recent weeks despite limited playing time. Patterson caught passes on three of the five snaps he played against the Steelers after posting 50-plus receiving yards in each of the previous two games. His 37-yard touchdown catch against the Dolphins was a beauty.
Patterson missed practice Thursday due to illness, so his status for Sunday currently is unclear.
MATTHEW SLATER
2018 stats: zero targets, zero catches (14 offensive snaps)
Slater is the Patriots’ “break glass in case of emergency” option. The special teams standout plays only a handful of offensive snaps each season — almost all as a run blocker — and the lone catch of his NFL career came way back in 2011.
** The Patriots also have undrafted rookie wide receiver Damoun Patterson on their practice squad. He has yet to make his regular-season NFL debut.