Getty Rex Burkhead.
The New England Patriots are dealing with a ton of injuries on the offensive side of the ball according to their first injury report of Week 4 on Wednesday.
One of those on the list is Rex Burkhead. The running back has been extremely versatile for the team this year and is an asset the Patriots can’t afford to lose. Burkhead can line up in the slot, can catch passes out of the backfield, and can even run the ball effectively.
Leading the team in rushing this season, Burkhead’s workload has seen an uptick over the last few weeks. It should be no different when the Patriots take the field against Buffalo, especially with Julian Edelman limited as well with a rib injury. Edelman will try to play through his ailment, but it’s likely his snaps could be limited meaning Burkhead would take some of the slack.
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Rex Burkhead Matchup vs Buffalo
In four games against Buffalo, Burkhead hasn’t exactly lit up the stat sheet. He has a total of 117 rushing yards and 79 receiving yards in those games.
Although he has less than 200 scrimmage yards in four games, he has been effective when given touches. Burkhead is averaging 4.68 yards per carry against the Bills and 9.88 yards per reception.
In the Patriots last game against the New York Jets, Burkhead was rewarded with a start and finished with 47 yards rushing and 22 yards receiving. He was on the field for 56 offensive plays, 74 percent of the Patriots total snaps. He also factored into 12 special teams plays.
When Burkhead is on the field, it gives the offense the element of surprise and versatility. Burkhead can block, run, serve as a check-down in play action, and even run routes in the slot or to the outside as a receiver. His shiftiness and trickiness are the reasons why he has become such a major factor in the New England offense.
Should You Start Burkhead in Week 4?
Will he get you the most yards? Probably not. But Burkhead does get a lot of touches and makes the most of it when he does get the ball. In a PPR league, he’s a gem given the number of catches for short gains he gets. Six catches for 22 yards is still decent in PPR leagues.
His rushing has been shockingly better than anticipated as well and he has clearly improved at making defenders miss. With James White back in the lineup this weekend, some of that backfield receiving may take a hit. But Burkhead has been a more popular target in games when they both played and Tom Brady has done well to share the wealth between the two.
So is Burkhead worthy of a start? And the answer is yes. Burkhead is the perfect flex player, as is James White. But against a more physical Buffalo team, go with the bigger target.
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