Team news: New England Patriots

Patriots running back Antonio Gibson will not be able to return this season.

According to multiple reports, tests have confirmed that Gibson suffered a torn ACL during Sunday night’s victory over the Bills.

Related players: Rhamondre Stevenson, TreVeyon Henderson

Gibson saw limited work but was considered a solid pass protector, which gave him more snaps in those situations. He was also a kick returner and that's where he suffered his injury. Stevenson had another fumble in the win over the Bills but still led the team in carries with seven carries. Gibson and Henderson each had six carries so Gibson's work will at least need to be split up.

Running back Rhamondre Stevenson had two of those fumbles, including one at the Steelers’ goal-line, and he has now coughed the ball up nine times since the start of the 2024 season. Head coach Mike Vrabel said that the Patriots need Stevenson to clean up that aspect of his game.

Related players: TreVeyon Henderson, Antonio Gibson

The story went on to say Stevenson’s goal-line fumble in the third quarter was the last time he touched the ball on Sunday and next Sunday’s backfield workload will be telling about how the Patriots plan to handle things for the rest of the year. Henderson led the team in carries with 11, but produced only 28 yards. Henderson's struggles in pass protection can be seen all over social media, which has led to Gibson being move involved. Gibson had seven carries. Both Stevenson and Henderson each caught three passes.

Patriots WR Stefon Diggs, coming off a torn ACL, isn't listed on the team's initial injury report, confirming he's on track to play Sunday vs. Las Vegas.

Related Players: DeMario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte

Looks like it'll be all clear for Diggs to.head out there and operate as a fringe WR2/3 in his first game as a Patriot.

Mike Vrabel will make his debut as the Patriots head coach against the Raiders this Sunday and it looks like Stefon Diggs will be doing the same at wide receiver.

“As of today, he’ll be out there,” Vrabel said on WEEI, via Mike Reiss of ESPN.com.

Diggs tore his ACL while playing for the Texans last year and signed with New England as a free agent this offseason, the story said. He did not play in the preseason, but his rehab went well enough that he was practicing without limitations throughout training camp and Vrabel said on Tuesday morning that the veteran wideout is on track to play in Week 1, the story went on to say. Diggs is ranked 37th among our WRs, and while his age is a concern (31), his lack of target competition should work in his favor.

Eliot Wolf on Stefon Diggs: “He’s ahead of schedule injury wise.”

Related players: Kyle Williams, Demario Douglas, Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins

Diggs tore his ACL back in Week 8 last year, and so far seems to be on track to start the season, not suffering any setback as far as reports have indicated at least. Diggs is poised to be the Pats top target this season among a group of relatively young WRs. At least on our depth chart, rookie Williams is second followed by Douglas and Boutte. Overall we have Diggs 37th on our WR list and he should be available starting late in the seventh round of drafts.

Patriots wide receiver Stefon Diggs did not play in the preseason opener for what head coach Mike Vrabel described as a coach's decision. But Patriots wide receivers coach Todd Downing says that decision in no way reflects any concerns about Diggs' status as he recovers from a torn ACL.

"I think where he’s at in his process right now is where we want him to be," Downing said. "He’s working hard when he’s out there with his reps and you see him making some plays. The big thing with him is understanding that we can’t confuse results with the process. So if there's a day he doesn’t have a whole bunch of production, that doesn’t mean he didn’t do his job and get open."

Diggs has been cleared for full participation in practice, and Downing said that Diggs is doing what the Patriots want him to do, even when not playing in the preseason or sometimes not getting a lot of balls thrown his way in practice, according to the story. The story said the team wants him to continue to learn the system and be where he's supposed to be. Diggs is our WR39, and available in the late 7th round.

There's a lot of excitement within Patriots' circles about rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson. Everyone knew about his home-run speed and explosiveness, but multiple team sources have also emphasized his elite pass-catching and pass-protection abilities.

Related players: Rhamondre Stevenson, Antonio Gibson

Schultz went on to say words like "special" and "difference-maker" have been used to describe Henderson and added that it feels like New England has a super dynamic young back for Drake Maye to lean on. Right now, Henderson is a late fifth to early sixth round pick in drafts, but we think he could quickly leapfrog Stevenson and push for lead-back duties. For now, Henderson profiles as a high-end, upside RB3 with the potential to be a weekly RB2 if he grabs the top spot in what should be an improving offense.

Just under nine months after Stefon Diggs tore his ACL, the New England Patriots cleared their biggest offseason acquisition for full participation in training camp, league sources said Tuesday. The team’s training camp opens Wednesday.

The story went on to say the team will, of course, monitor his reps early on. The story added Diggs has looked strong in his return after tearing his ACL last October while taking team reps with second-year QB Drake Maye. Diggs, 31, suffered the injury in Week 8 while playing for the Houston Texans. Diggs is expected to be the team's top target this season.

Wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk, a 2024 second-round pick out of Washington who had a rocky rookie season (12 catches, 87 yards, 2 TDs), is recovering from offseason shoulder surgery. Vrabel said he has been excited about how Polk has approached his rehabilitation, working on his lower-body strength.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Stefon Diggs, DeMario Douglas, Javon Baker, Kendrick Bourne, Mack Hollins

There's no timetable for recovery here, but Polk certainly didn't need any setbacks after catching only 38.7% of his 31 targets as a 2024 rookie. He should be considered more of a Dynasty hold than a redraft option, particularly with the Patriots tied to a number of options in the '25 Draft class.

Free-agent WR Stefon Diggs reached agreement on a three-year, $69 million deal including $26 million guaranteed with the New England Patriots.

Related Players: Kayshon Boutte, Kendrick Bourne, DeMario Douglas, Ja'Lynn Polk, Javon Baker

This is an incredible injection of talent to what is arguably the worst WR room in the NFL. Diggs should be immediately considered somewhere in the WR3 range, with (hopefully) more weapons for Drake Maye coming in the next month.