2022 New England Patriots Preview: Roster Moves, Depth Chart, Schedule, Storylines and More

This article is part of our Team Previews series.

New England Patriots

Things will need to click in all phases to dethrone the Bills in the AFC East. However, after a bumpy 2020 campaign in Year 1 of the post-Tom Brady era, Bill Belichick and co. now have proven that they can win without the future Hall of Famer, and the franchise is back on track, helmed by Mac Jones.

2022 Offseason Moves – New England Patriots

Key Acquisitions

• DeVante Parker – WR (from Dolphins)

Provides a big target who can thrive in contested-catch scenarios.

• Pierre Strong – RB (Rd. 4, No. 127 – South Dakota State)

Possesses a 4.37 40 and offers upside depth for the backfield.

• Kevin Harris – RB (Rd. 6, No. 183 – South Carolina)

A power back whom the team can work into the mix slowly.

• Tyquan Thornton – WR (Rd. 2, No. 50 – Baylor)

Adds speed (4.28 40) at receiver, but his path to targets is unclear.

• Cole Strange – G (Rd. 1, No. 29 – Chattanooga)

Considered a first-round reach by many but helps replace Shaq Mason.

• Malcolm Butler – CB (from Cardinals)

Back for a second stint with the franchise after an unceremonious exit.

Key Departures

• J.C. Jackson – CB (to Chargers)

Parlayed his ball-hawking skills into a big free-agent payday.

• Brandon Bolden – RB (to Raiders)

Excelled on special teams and provided valuable backfield versatility.

• N'Keal Harry – WR (to Bears)

The 2019 first-rounder gets a fresh start following his trade to Chicago.

New England Patriots 2022 Coaching Staff

Head Coach: Bill Belichick (Year 23)

Offensive Coordinator: None – Erhardt-Perkins scheme

Defensive Coordinator: None – Multiple

Stats to Know for the New England Patriots

2022 Vegas Projected Wins: 8.5 (T-16th)

2021 Record: 10-7

2021 Points Scored: 462 (6th)

2021 Points Allowed: 303 (2nd)

2021 Point Differential: +159 (3rd)

2021 Run-Play Rate: 45.7 percent (7th)

2021 Offensive Snaps: 1,052 (T-21st)

2021 PFF O-Line Ranking: No. 9

Full 2021 Team Stats

2022 New England Patriots Depth Chart

QB: Mac Jones / Brian Hoyer / Bailey Zappe

RB: Damien Harris / Rhamondre Stevenson / James White / Pierre Strong / Kevin Harris / J.J. Taylor

WR1: DeVante Parker / Nelson Agholor

WR2: Jakobi Meyers / Tyquan Thornton / Ty Montgomery

WR3: Kendrick Bourne / Lil'Jordan Humphrey

TE: Hunter Henry / Jonnu Smith / Devin Asiasi / Dalton Keene

O-Line: LT Isaiah Wynn / LG Cole Strange / C David Andrews / RG Mike Onwenu / RT Trent Brown (RotoWire Rank: No. 6)

Kicker: Nick Folk / Tristan Vizcaino

Full 2022 Depth Chart

2022 New England Patriots Schedule

New England Patriots Storylines for 2022

On to a New Franchise QB

There was speculation that the 49ers might target Mac Jones with the No. 3 pick in last year's draft, but they instead took Trey Lance. Jones then slid to the Patriots at No. 15 overall.

Though he was the fifth quarterback taken in Round 1, the Alabama product ended up as the most productive player of the group as a rookie, starting 17 games and completing 67.6 percent of his pass attempts for 3,801 yards to go along with 22 TDs and 13 picks. While his counting stats weren't huge, Jones capably managed a run-friendly attack that helped New England return to the postseason after a one-year hiatus.

This time around, he'll work with a pass-catching corps that includes wideouts DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers, Kendrick Bourne, Nelson Agholor and Tyquan Thornton, as well as tight ends Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith. Additionally, the team welcomes back capable change-of-pace RB James White.

Though perhaps somewhat lacking in star power, the unit does provide Jones with a solid array of targets to work with in an offense that once again figures to be driven by a backfield led by Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson. From a fantasy perspective, Jones doesn't bring much to the table as a rusher, but there's room for his growth as a passer, which gives him a decent floor but a limited ceiling in his second pro season.

Decoding the Backfield

With a rookie signal-caller leading the way last season, the Patriots' attack was paced by a ground game that saw both Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson churn out rushing yards at a 4.6 YPC clip. In the process, the team finished eighth in the league with 126.5 rushing yards per game.

Brandon Bolden, who was thrust into an expanded role after James White suffered a season-ending hip injury Week 3, is no longer in the mix, but his departure is offset by the re-signing of White. Assuming no setbacks, the 30-year-old is poised to reclaim his pass-catching role out of the backfield.

Meanwhile, the team doubled down in the 2022 Draft by adding Pierre Strong and Kevin Harris. The duo could be eased in, but with White coming off a major injury and Damien Harris in the last year of his rookie deal, a proactive approach was taken.

For now, the incumbent Harris figures to continue to profile as the early-down 1A option, but the presence of Stevenson and the rookies to some degree could cut into his volume, tying his upside to ongoing heavy usage around the goal line. Even so, there should be enough touches available for Stevenson to have a degree of weekly fantasy utility. In any case, this is a deep positional group that boasts both short-term depth as well as a nucleus in place for beyond this season.

Who's Catching the Passes?

Though the Patriots don't roster an elite No. 1 wideout in the traditional sense or the sort of target-gobbling slot maven that thrived during Tom Brady's tenure, second-year QB Mac Jones at least does have a fairly deep and balanced pass-catching corps with which to work.

It's a group that was restocked last offseason by an uncharacteristic free-agent spending spree that lured in the one-two tight end punch of Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith and added wideouts Kendrick Bourne and Nelson Agholor.

This offseason, DeVante Parker came over from divisional rival Miami in a trade that could pay off if the 29-year-old is able to avoid the injury bug. If so, he could emerge as a physical boundary receiver with WR1 potential for his new team.

Last year's leading receiver Jakobi Meyers, who is more reliable than flashy, figures to continue to see a decent share of target volume, while the versatile Bourne should log steady snaps. Agholor, whose 2021 production was modest, might be able to put together something of a bounceback if the Patriots offense takes more deep shots this year, but he'll need to fend off the challenge of second-round speedster Tyquan Thornton.

With the team not expected to rely on the fullback position, Smith could see an uptick in usage alongside Henry, who was a strong red-zone option in 2021.

Fantasy Football Stock Watch

⬆️  Rising: RB Rhamondre Stevenson

There should be enough early-down touches available for Stevenson to maintain fantasy relevance, even with Damien Harris on hand. If Harris ends up out or limited at all, however, Stevenson's value would spike.

⬇️  Falling: WR Nelson Agholor

Though Agholor has the ability to provide the team with a downfield threat, it remains to be seen if he'll see steady enough snaps and targets now that DeVante Parker and Tyquan Thornton also are in the wideout corps.

😴  Sleeper: RB Pierre Strong

Like many rookie backs, Strong is a break away from making an impact. That said, if the Patriots' depth chart thins out due to injuries or roster moves, the speedster could factor in earlier than expected.

🌟  Pivotal Player: Mac Jones

Whereas Jones headed into training camp last year behind veteran incumbent Cam Newton, the rising QB won't have to compete for a starting spot this time around, and instead can focus on continuing to build a rapport with his receivers. Jones is on the second year of his rookie deal, a salary-cap friendly context for the team's brass.

New England Patriots Injury Report

RB James White

White opened the 2021 season in his usual pass-catching/change-of-pace role, but a hip subluxation that he suffered Week 3 required surgery and landed him on injured reserve. The good news is that the 30-year-old is on the mend and has been able to participate in the Patriots' offseason workouts to some degree. It remains to be seen if White will be able to work fully at the onset of training camp, but in the absence of any setbacks this summer, he'll look to reclaim his prior role in New England's backfield ahead of Week 1. If so, he'll be worthy of consideration in deeper PPR formats.

TE Hunter Henry

An undisclosed injury limited Henry during the Patriots' June minicamp, but there's been nothing to suggest that the tight end's issue is a notable concern ahead of training camp. Of course, given his injury history, his health is worth monitoring, but it was a significant development that in his first season with New England, the 2016 second-rounder managed to play a full slate of games for the first time in his pro career.

TE Dalton Keene

Keene, who spent the 2021 season on IR due to a meniscus issue, suffered an undisclosed injury at the Patriots' first OTA practice May 23. Though it's unclear if the tight end is dealing with a setback with his knee or something unrelated, it's evident that this is shaping up as a make-or-break season for the 2020 third-rounder. With Hunter Henry and Jonnu Smith entrenched atop the depth chart, Keene's best hope to make an impact in 2022 might be in a complementary H-back type role.

Training Camp Battle 2022 – New England Patriots

Damien Harris and Rhamondre Stevenson appear locked in as New England's top early-down backs, so long as both are on the roster and healthy. If anything changes on that front, sixth-round rookie Kevin Harris is on hand, but it may not be until next season that he makes a real fantasy splash.

While there have been whispers that the team may entertain the notion of dealing Harris – who's in the last year of his rookie contract – unless that happens, which RB will end up handling passing down snaps for New England is the more fluid job battle.

As previously mentioned, the health of veteran James White is the wild card. Assuming he fully rebounds from his hip injury, he has both a wealth of experience as well as the trust of the coaching staff working in his favor. If, however, he suffers any setbacks or struggles that lead to him missing time, 2022 fourth-rounder Pierre Strong could emerge as an early-season sleeper.

Also looking to factor in on the change-of-pace front will be J.J. Taylor and Ty Montgomery, but for now the speedy Strong profiles as the player most likely to make an impact if things don't break in the right direction for White.