Rex Burkhead

Burkhead joins a crowded Texans backfield that also includes David Johnson, Mark Ingram and Philip Lindsay. In that context it's not clear exactly where the versatile back shakes out in the rotation, but he figures to get some work in passing situations. The nine-year veteran is coming off ACL surgery Dec. 1, and it's unclear if he'll much of a factor out of the gate this season.

From an efficiency perspective, Burkhead is coming off his best season in a Patriots uniform. His 302 rushing yards on 4.6 yards per carry were his most since 2016 with the Bengals, and he set a career high in receiving yards with an eye-popping 10.3 yards per catch. Unfortunately, that efficiency didn't result in a big workload increase. James White continued to be the team's primary receiver out of the backfield, while Sony Michel maintained a firm grasp on the early-down role despite subpar results. In fact, Burkhead didn't get double-digit touches in a game after sustaining a foot injury in Week 4, and most weeks he saw as much action on special teams as he did on offense. The 29-year-old jack-of-all-trades remains valuable to New England, but with second-year back Damien Harris pushing for playing time as well, Burkhead's role could dwindle even further, and the offense as a whole could flounder without Tom Brady at the wheel.

Burkhead's second go-round with New England didn't amount to much. A Week 3 neck injury cost him half the season, and by the time he got healthy, Sony Michel had firmly established himself at the top of the depth chart. With James White dominating action on passing downs, there simply weren't many snaps left over for other running backs, and Burkhead's efficiency suffered with his erratic workload - he saw double-digit touches just once within the last five weeks of the regular season. When he's 100 percent healthy, Burkhead has the ability to make a contribution in almost any situation, but the Patriots made it clear they aren't counting on him when they used a third-round pick on Damien Harris, a back with a similarly versatile skill set and more upside than the veteran. Burkhead should still have a role in New England, but it could increasingly come on special teams in a young, crowded backfield.

Underappreciated and buried on the depth chart in Cincinnati for the first four seasons of his career, Burkhead appeared to be in line for a bigger role in New England after signing as a free agent last offseason, but a Week 2 rib injury put a damper on his sleeper status. Once he was 100 percent healthy, Burkhead showed what he could do by scoring seven TDs in a six-game stretch out of the Patriots' bye before a knee injury cut short his regular season. Burkhead isn't the biggest or fastest back, doesn't have the softest hands or run the sharpest routes, and he doesn't have electric moves in the open field or uncanny vision, but he's at least competent in all aspects, making him a great fit who can step up in any situation. The selection of Sony Michel in the first round presents a significant threat to Burkhead's workload - the signing of former Bengals teammate Jeremy Hill, less so - but Tom Brady finds ways to get the ball to players he trusts, and Burkhead seemed to earn that trust last year.

Injuries to both Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill forced the Bengals to give Burkhead a much larger role in the offense than they expected last season, and he stepped up down the stretch, gaining more than 200 combined yards with two touchdowns over the final two games. An athletic and elusive runner, Burkhead lacks breakaway speed but has proven to be a nearly ideal backup as he can contribute in just about any situation. Now a Patriot, his prospects for significant value didn't really improve with the move, as he's now the jack-of-all-trades running back on a depth chart that features a goal-line option in Mike Gillislee and two pass catchers in James White and Dion Lewis. Coach Bill Belichick's mix-and-match style could provide Burkhead with a big game or two, but don't expect consistent production.

In his third season, Burkhead found himself buried on a Bengals running back depth chart full of young talent. He was only given four rushing attempts last season but became a contributing factor in the passing game, hauling in 10 receptions for 94 yards and a touchdown. While it seems unlikely the fourth-year back sees major carries this season, he'll continue to develop as a pass-catcher, boosting his fantasy value for deeper leagues.

After missing the first month of the season with a knee injury, Burkhead spent most of his time on special teams coverage for the Bengals, getting just 33 offensive snaps compared to 113 on special teams. He's a capable pass-catching back, grabbing seven receptions on 10 targets for 49 yards, but as long as Jeremy Hill and Giovani Bernard are around, Burkhead is going to be limited to mop-up and change-of-pace duty.

Burkhead is buried on the Bengals depth chart behind Giovani Bernard, BenJarvus Green-Ellis, Cedric Peerman and rookie Jeremy Hill.

Burkhead, a rookie out of Nebraska, will mostly be a reserve running back for the Bengals.