Getty Sony Michel
The New England Patriots will be banged up and short-handed heading into their Week 4 battle with the Kansas City Chiefs.
In addition to not having Cam Newton due to a positive COVID-19 test, the team will also be without starting running back and leading rusher Sony Michel.
Michel is headed to IR and will be out for at least three games.
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Playing Without Sony Michel
The Patriots have been the best rushing team in the NFL through three weeks. While Newton’s impact has been a major reason for the Patriots’ success on the ground, Michel is coming off arguably the best performance of his career against the Las Vegas Raiders.
Michel ran for 117 yards on just nine carries as the Patriots pounded the Raiders’ front seven. Without Michel, the Patriots must have a guy or a committee of players step up to supply the necessary production.
Who Will Replace Sony Michel?
The task of replacing Michel’s production will likely fall on a variety of players.
Rex Burkhead had a great game against the Raiders. He scored a career-high three TDs in the victory and had almost 100 all-purpose yards. He will definitely see a strong workload on Monday.
There is also the returning James White. The veteran and captain is coming back to the team for the first time since the tragic death of his father two weeks ago.
White is usually more of a third-down option, but with Michel’s absence, there is a chance he could see more carries and touches on first and second down. There’s also rookie running back J.J. Taylor.
The 5’5″ spark plug has shown some flashes of being the kind of playmaker the Patriots need. He has had some issues with ball security, which is an obvious problem, but he has vision, agility, and despite his size, he finishes runs.
Lastly, there is second-year pro, and likely Michel successor, Damien Harris. After a strong training camp, many thought Harris was ready to supplant Michel as the team’s new feature back.
Unfortunately, he began the season on injured reserve and that led to him missing the first three games of the season. He has been activated for Monday’s game and should see some action.