MIAMI – The Patriots are gearing up for a rainy AFC East matchup with the Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami, and New England's offense is shorthanded on Sunday.

After ruling out WR A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) and RB TreVeyon Henderson (illness) en route, the Patriots offense will now be without the following players in Miami: WR Mack Hollins, WR Romeo Doubs, starting LG Alijah Vera-Tucker, starting RG Mike Onwenu, FB Reggie Gilliam, Brown, and Henderson. New England's offense is down multiple starters, and contributors like Gilliam and Henderson were also supposed to play large roles this season. Still, the Patriots have to take care of business in rainy conditions in Miami.

The Patriots game-day inactives are WR A.J. Brown (ankle/knee), RB TreVeyon Henderson (illness), CB Karon Prunty, S Elliott Davison, CB Channing Canada, and rookie Behren Morton is the emergency third quarterback. Miami's inactives are LG Kadyn Proctor (concussion), DE Jamree Kromah, CB Marcellas Dial, CB Jaylin Simpson, G Christian Haynes, TE Justin Joly, and WR Jared Wayne.

Starting on offense, the Patriots have just three healthy receivers on their 53-man roster: DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III. The Pats also elevated WR Ryan Miller from the practice squad for Week 8. Miller projects as a core special-teamer and has some size (6-2, 221) to play outside receiver, but the third-year pro just joined the Patriots practice squad on Oct. 19. Most likely, Williams (X), Chism III (Z), and Douglas (slot) will have to play a bulk of the snaps as the Patriots projected top three receivers.

With Douglas playing his usual role as a speed slot, Sunday's game is big for Chism and Williams, who have been lower on the depth chart when the Patriots veteran wideouts are healthy. The second-year receivers have flashed potential but haven't had consistent volume, while Williams has at times struggled with route detail. In Week 4, Chism was the hero in Buffalo, filling in for Hollins (IR, calf). Chism caught two passes for 42 yards in the fourth quarter, including a game-winning 23-yard TD.

Chism then caught five passes for 57 yards the following week in a win over the Raiders, but has been targeted only twice in the Patriots last two games. Chism typically plays as a "dirty work" receiver, mostly as a run-blocker. This week, Chism will get more passing-game opportunities, while Williams flashed his vertical separation with three catches for 91 yards in Week 5, including a 34-yard touchdown catch vs. the Raiders. For both second-year wideouts, Sunday is a huge opportunity to step up for the team.

Along with being shorthanded at wide receiver, the Patriots are also down second-year RB TreVeyon Henderson, who didn't travel to Miami due to an illness. New England signed RB Lan Larison to an open spot on the active roster from the practice squad to fill out its running back depth. Larison, a primary kickoff returner who played a few snaps on offense in Week 1, joins lead back Rhamondre Stevenson and RB Corey Kiner as the Pats backfield depth.

Over the last four games, Stevenson has already been playing 64.8% of the offensive snaps. Without Henderson in the season opener, Stevenson played 85.1% of the offensive snaps in Seattle. Obviously, Stevenson projects to play a significant role vs. the Dolphins, and we'll see how much the Patriots sprinkle in Kiner and Larison. Kiner has shown promise as a between-the-tackles runner in recent weeks, helping the Patriots close out their Week 6 win over the Jets with a clock-killing fourth-quarter drive. Kiner could get early-down carries to ease the load on Stevenson, who will play in all situations on Sunday.

With the Patriots banged up at wide receiver and running back, it could also be a big day for tight ends Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon. Despite both tight ends being productive, the Pats have played only 31.8% of their offensive snaps with two-or-more tight ends, 22nd in the NFL. The Patriots could use their tight ends as pseudo receivers detached from the formation to hunt matchups and manage the snap counts of their healthy wideouts.

QB Drake Maye's Projected Supporting Cast

OL - LT Campbell, LG Rouse, C Wilson, RG Brown/Pryor, RT Moses

WR - Douglas, Chism III, Williams, Miller

TE - Henry, Raridon, Latu, Arkin

RB - Stevenson, Kiner, Larison

As for the Patriots offensive line, New England is still managing injuries at guard. After returning to practice this week, C/G Ben Brown is officially active following a one-game absence. But the Pats could still roll with backups Walter Rouse and Matt Pryor after decent spot-starts vs. the Bears in Week 7. Speaking to reporters this week, Rouse indicated that he's starting at left guard again. Rouse had solid tape in Chicago, allowing just two pressures. The question is whether Brown will be reinstated at right guard, with head coach Mike Vrabel declining to reveal his starting five on the O-Line.

The Patriots injuries on offense are the lead story, with several moving parts on that side of the ball. However, the good news is that the Pats defense is whole with the return of CB Carlton Davis III.

Davis has missed three straight games, and four of the last six, due to a nagging neck injury. According to NextGen Stats, the Patriots top cornerback trio of Christian Gonzalez, NCB Marcus Jones, and Davis has played only 54 snaps together this season (12.9%). In 2025, the Pats CB trio was on the field together for 51.5% of the defensive snaps. New England built its defense around its three shutdown corners, but Davis's neck injury and Gonzalez (shoulder) injury have prevented that from taking hold in 2026.

With the injuries on offense and expected rain in the forecast, the full-strength Patriots defense needs to carry the team against a limited Miami offense. The Dolphins have been frisky on offense over the last two weeks, including in a 28-25 victory over the Jets last week. Still, this is a game New England's defense should be able to drive the bus in to pick up an offense that is decimated by injuries.

The Patriots and Dolphins kickoff at 4:25 p.m. ET at Hard Rock Stadium in Miami on Sunday.

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