The New England Patriots placed Mack Hollins on injured reserve Saturday, sidelining their leading receiver for at least four games. Fullback Reggie Gilliam (ankle/knee) joined him on the list, according to Patriots.com staff writer Evan Lazar.
With A.J. Brown also on injured reserve, Drake Maye takes on the Raiders on Sunday without the veteran Hollins who filled the void. So who steps up next?
Hollins is one of 19 Patriots on injured reserve, a group that includes Brown, right guard Mike Onwenu and punter Bryce Baringer, according to ESPN Patriots reporter Mike Reiss.
The injury struck in the third quarter of New England’s 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills on Oct. 4. Hollins hopped off the field after a non-contact injury, went to the locker room and never returned after the team listed him as questionable, according to NBC Sports Boston‘s Michael Hurley.
Patriots’ Mack Hollins Calf Injury Timeline
Patriots.com reported that Hollins went down while running a pass route and initially hoped he had avoided a major injury. He had caught three passes for 53 yards on four targets by the time of the injury.
Gilliam has managed a knee injury since training camp and added the ankle problem in Week 4, Patriots.com reported.
Head coach Mike Vrabel had no update on the calf Monday and warned Hollins could miss several days of practice, NBC Sports reported. Hollins sat out Wednesday and Thursday, and the team ruled him out of the Raiders game, according to NBC Sports. Injured reserve locks in a minimum four-game absence, which puts his earliest possible return in Week 9.
The Mack Hollins-Drake Maye Connection
Hollins began the season fourth on the receiver depth chart. Then Brown sprained his ankle early in the third quarter of the season opener at Seattle, and Hollins finished that night with four catches for 51 yards, tops among New England receivers. Through four games, he has 15 receptions for 209 yards and no touchdowns, leading the team in catches and yards. He sits tied with Romeo Doubs for the team lead in targets at 20.
Maye turned to him early. Hollins entered Week 4 as the most-targeted receiver on the roster with 16 looks through three games, according to NBC Sports Boston, and he caught six of nine targets for 87 yards against Jacksonville in Week 3.
“There’s nothing more important than the quarterback-receiver,” Patriots head coach Mike Vrabel said, NESN. Vrabel added that Hollins works at learning where Maye wants him on each route, and NESN noted that he made several catches in key moments of the Seattle opener.
The two have a history. In 2025, they connected for 46 receptions, 550 yards and two touchdowns.
Efton Chism III replaced Hollins in the second half at Buffalo and caught a 19-yard pass and the game-winning touchdown. Patriots.com projects Chism to handle the bulk of the work as the third receiver Sunday, with Brown, eligible to return in Week 6, spotted in the locker room this week.
Doubs, who had six catches for 58 yards and two touchdowns at Buffalo, now anchors the group, NBC Sports Boston reported. Kyle Williams and DeMario Douglas round out the available receivers.
The 2-2 Patriots host the 3-1 Raiders at 1 p.m. ET Sunday at Gillette Stadium.
Patriots Announce Bad News on Mack Hollins Before Raiders Game