New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Mack Hollins could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Buffalo's secured second seed in the AFC postseason. Head coach Sean McDermott noted the starters and backups will both play on Sunday against the New England Patriots. While Hollins plays a significant amount of the offensive snaps, he's not as integral to the offense as other receivers like Khalil Shakir and Keon Coleman. Hollins could lead a group of practice squad players, and/or Curtis Samuel (ribs) if he's active, for backup quarterback Mitch Trubisky. The Bills (other than running back Ray Davis) are difficult to trust given uncertain playing time and opportunities in the regular season finale.

New England Patriots wide receiver Kayshon Boutte (illness) has been removed from the injury report and will play in Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Boutte has seen the field more than any Patriots receiver since Drake Maye was installed as the team's starting quarterback, but it's worth noting that last week's 77 percent snap share was his lowest mark since Week 5. Despite his reduced involvement, he should remain a central part of the Patriots' offensive game plan on Sunday afternoon. Boutte has caught nine of 12 targets for 123 yards and one touchdown over his last two games, and he's trending upward ahead of this week's matchup against a Bills defense that could rest some of its starters. The 22-year-old is a flashy deep threat, and he could use his speed to beat Buffalo defenders, especially those in depth roles. He remains a low-floor, high-ceiling option, ranking as a solid WR4 option in fantasy football.

New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas continues to trend upward ahead of Sunday's Week 18 matchup against the Buffalo Bills. Douglas had consistently been playing fewer than two-thirds of the Patriots' offensive snaps, but his snap share jumped to a season-high 92 percent in Week 17, and he could have a similar role against the Bills during the Patriots' regular-season finale. Douglas has been somewhat productive lately, too, catching 11 passes for 90 yards and two touchdowns over his last three games. The 24-year-old has suddenly found the end zone at a greater frequency than ever, and he remains one of the leading targets in New England's Drake Maye-led offense. Fantasy managers should expect him to rank as a low-end WR3 or high-end WR4 in Week 18.

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson is trending toward leading the backfield in snaps for the third consecutive week when he faces the Buffalo Bills on Sunday afternoon. Gibson rushed 12 times for 63 yards last Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers, taking advantage of fellow running back Rhamondre Stevenson being in the doghouse amidst consistent ball security concerns. The Patriots haven't commented on their backfield alignment for Week 18, but we'd expect Gibson to remain the primary option once more against the Bills. The 26-year-old has upside in a game where the Bills could rest many of their defensive starters. Gibson struggled against the Chargers' starters last week, but he rushed for 53 yards on six carries (8.8 YPC) once Los Angeles started to play some of its depth defenders. We could see him have similar success once Buffalo turns to some of its non-starters in Week 18. Gibson is a solid RB3 for fantasy football.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson remains an unreliable fantasy option heading into Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Stevenson was effectively benched last Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers. While he did log the first touch of the game, he finished the contest with just two carries for one yard while Antonio Gibson rushed the ball 12 times. Gibson has led the Patriots' backfield in snaps for two consecutive weeks, which is the product of Stevenson's poor ball security this season, including a costly Week 16 fumble against the Bills. The Patriots have been somewhat quiet about their personnel decision for Sunday's regular-season finale, but we would expect Stevenson to remain in the doghouse. He's not a dependable fantasy option as the Patriots' season wraps up.