With seven players already ruled out heading into Sunday's Week 17 matchup, the Patriots game-day inactives vs. the Jets were mostly pre-determined by the team's final injury report.

New England's game-day inactives are WR Kayshon Boutte (concussion), OLB Harold Landry III (knee), LB Robert Spillane (ankle), NT Khyiris Tonga (foot), LG Jared Wilson (concussion), OT Marcus Bryant, and QB Tommy DeVito is the emergency third quarterback. Since they're on injured reserve, DT Milton Williams (ankle) and WR Mack Hollins (abdomen) aren't listed as inactive, but they won't play for the Patriots in the Meadowlands on Sunday.

Although the Patriots list of injuries is lengthy, the good news pre-game is that WR DeMario Douglas (hamstring) is officially active after carrying a questionable designation into Sunday's game. Rookie RB TreVeyon Henderson also cleared concussion protocol and will play, the team announced. Both players left last Sunday's win over the Ravens in the second quarter, but will suit up vs. the Jets this week, a positive development for a Patriots offense that's down three starters in Boutte, Hollins, and Wilson.

At wide receiver, Hollins was placed on injured reserve earlier this weekend, meaning he'll have to miss at least the next four games due to his abdominal injury. Hollins' last snap was 1:34 left in the fourth quarter in Baltimore, with the Pats wideout only leaving the field for the game-ending kneel downs. Therefore, it's unclear when New England's leader in snaps among wide receivers suffered an injury. Hollins also ranks third on the team in receptions (46) and receiving yards (550), so his absence will be felt. Boutte, on the other hand, suffered his concussion on a catch attempt late in the fourth quarter last week, but the hope here is that he'll return for the playoffs.

Without Boutte and Hollins, the Patriots will have four wide receivers active on Sunday: Stefon Diggs, Kyle Williams, DeMario Douglas, and Efton Chism III. It'll be worth monitoring how much Douglas is able to play with his hamstring injury, with the most likely three-receiver combination for New England being Williams (X), Diggs (Z), and Chism (slot). Douglas could play in the slot over Chism if he's able to, while the Patriots will likely lean on more two-tight ends sets more than they have been this season.

Surprisingly, the Patriots have only played two-tight end packages on 20.6% of their offensive snaps despite having reliable vets Hunter Henry and Austin Hooper (19th in the NFL). New England will likely play more two-tight end sets moving forward, especially without Hollins, a versatile chess piece in the run game who blurred the lines between receiver and tight end.

The key to making the Pats two-tight end sets more productive will be running the ball better out of 12 personnel (2 WR, 2 TE, 1 RB). Currently, New England is averaging 3.5 yards per carry out of '12', 30th in the NFL. That said, the Patriots are sixth in EPA per drop-back with two tight ends on the field (+0.21), finding success through the air in those packages. Still, offenses want to run teams out of nickel defense (five DBs) to get favorable matchups in the passing game against base defenses. To feature more groupings with Henry and Hooper, the run game must improve.

As for running back, Henderson joins lead-back Rhamondre Stevenson and RB/KR D'Ernest Johnson as the Patriots healthy backs on Sunday. Henderson exited last week's win over the Ravens when he hit his head on the turf while being tackled to the ground, entering the league's concussion protocol. After being a full participant on Friday, Henderson was cleared to play, as the second-rounder hopes to add to his Offensive Rookie of the Year candidacy on Sunday. Still, it'll be worth monitoring how much Henderson plays coming off a head injury, which could lead to another heavy workload for Stevenson, who played 83.1% of the snaps in Baltimore.

QB Drake Maye's Supporting Cast

OL- LT Lowe, LG Brown, C Bradbury, RG Onwenu, RT Moses, OT3 Munford

WR - Diggs, Douglas, Williams, Chism III

TE - Henry, Hooper, Westover (FB), Dippre

RB - Stevenson, Henderson, Johnson

Along the offensive line, super-sub Ben Brown will likely fill in for Wilson at left guard. Although it's unclear when it occurred, Wilson suffered a concussion last week and will miss his third game this season. In the previous two games without Wilson, Brown has filled in well, allowing zero sacks and just four total pressures in two starts, earning the versatile blocker a contract extension with the Patriots. Above is QB Drake Maye's projected supporting cast against the Jets on Sunday.

Moving over to the defense, the Patriots are shorthanded in the front seven, with key contributors NT Khyiris Tonga (foot) and LB Robert Spillane (ankle) out. New England also didn't activate standout DT Milton Williams (ankle) from injured reserve this week, so he also won't play vs. the Jets. As a result, the Patriots signed DT Jeremiah Pharms Jr. and elevated DT Leonard Taylor III to the active roster for Sunday's game. Pharms and Taylor will rotate on the defensive line with Christian Barmore, Cory Durden, and Eric Gregory.

At linebacker, Jack Gibbens and Christian Elliss will likely start at the second level of the Patriots defense, while LB Jahlani Tavai could contribute as well. Tavai split time between the edge (15 snaps) and middle linebacker (13) vs. the Ravens, and with Spillane and OLB Harold Landry III (knee) not available, that could continue this week. The Pats also have starting EDGE K'Lavon Chaisson, Anfernee Jennings, Elijah Ponder, and Bradyn Swinson active, with Jennings likely to play the most snaps in Landry's spot.

With the Jets starting third-string QB Brady Cook on Sunday, stopping New York's rushing attack led by star RB Breece Hall with a banged-up front seven will be key. Hall ranks 11th in the NFL with 24 explosive runs this season. The other critical phase for the Patriots will be special teams, where the Jets lead the NFL in DVOA, kickoff return average (30.1), and are seventh in punt return average (13.4). As long as the Patriots can manage the Jets run game and avoid any big returns on special teams, they should be victorious.

The Patriots and Jets kickoff at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands at 1 p.m. ET on Sunday.

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