The New England Patriots will be short-handed Sunday afternoon to an extent they have not faced yet this season.
In the receiving room alone, two 500-yard wide receivers, Kayshon Boutte and Mack Hollins, will be missing from the Week 17 matchup against the New York Jets.
Hollins has been placed on injured reserve with an abdominal injury. Boutte is yet to recover from a concussion suffered in the final minutes of the Patriots’ last game against the Baltimore Ravens.
To make matters worse, it has still not been announced whether DeMario “Pop” Douglas will be suiting up.
The third-year receiver has been listed as questionable all week with a hamstring injury.
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Douglas made the trip to East Rutherford, N.J., with the team, and New England is strapped for options, so his status is trending towards active on Sunday.
“With no WR elevated from the practice squad, despite Mack Hollins landing on IR, it is an indication that WR Pop Douglas (hamstring) might be available,” Mike Reiss said. “At the least, Douglas is indeed on the trip.”
The depleted room also means undrafted rookie wide receiver Efton Chism III is going to get his first real opportunity of the season.
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Chism had two receiving touchdowns and more than 100 yards in the preseason, but has only played 25 regular-season snaps this year.
Stefon Diggs and Kyle Williams are the only other healthy receivers who made the trip.
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This means Chism will enter Sunday as the fourth wide receiver on the depth chart, nearly guaranteeing him a double-digit snap share.
Head coach Mike Vrabel confirmed Friday afternoon that the rookie will get a chance to show what he can do.
“It looks by all accounts that he’ll get opportunities,” Vrabel said.
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Featured image via Bob DeChiara/Imagn Images
