M. Gillislee to Pats?

[BuckeyeNation]

I don't really see how this impacts Lewis. The assumption was always that the Pats were bringing in Blount, or someone like Blount, to be the battering ram workhorse. Gillislee fits the bill. Even if you thought they might not, Burkhead was the likely beneficiary, not Lewis.

The White deal is not a good sign for Lewis, but he was going to have to outplay White either way. This just makes it clear the Pats have faith in White.

Yeah it's a weird situation for sure. If you can figure out who will fill the Blount role, that's the RB who will probably have the most consistent workload. I think there's a lot of redundancy with the role of the pass catching back, as they have White/Lewis and I believe Burkhead is a better pass catching RB than many may think he is.

It just seems like they have more RBs right now than they'll end up using (especially if Bolden stays around for his ST work) and that another trade or some cuts are still to come. I think Lewis is the most obvious trade/cut candidate.

I don't think there will be a Blount role, exactly. Probably more passing TDs and less rushing TDs

There will almost surely be a "Blount role", which is just NE slang for an early down back. Now will there be an early down back that racks up 18TDs or whatever Blount had last year, almost certainly not. NE has employed a role specific committee approach at RB for many years and this year will likely be no different.

Assuming BUF doesn't match the Gillislee offer, NE has signed 2 new RBs and given an extension to a 3rd. They didn't do this because they plan to use a single workhouse back. Someone is going to act as the main early down/GL back and there are less viable candidates on their roster for that then than there are candidates to work as the main pass catching back. Obviously with the unsustainable amount of TDs that Blount had last year it becomes safe to assume that ratio of passing TDs to rushing TDs is set to skew more towards the passing end, especially since they won't be missing Brady for the first quarter of the season.

[lukkynumber13]

I don't think there will be a Blount role, exactly. Probably more passing TDs and less rushing TDs

I think Gilly is definitely the closest thing to the "Blount role". Solid, strong, RB. Not sexy, but a great lunch pail guy. Should be a candidate for 600-700 rushing yards and anywhere from 7-10 TDs

[Tsunami]

Will the Bills bring back Karlos Williams or has he burned that bridge?

[koalabear]

Bet AP feels good about this.

[ninotoreS]

As I stated earlier in the Cooks thread, I think with Cooks stretching the field and Gronkowski hopefully healthy again and terrorizing the seam routes the underneath is going to be wide open. With Edelmann in the slot and White, Lewis(?), and Burkhead in motion and playing check down and flats receiver NE offense is going to be a monster. Brady is the beneficiary here. He can still throw deep so Cooks will get his, and Gronkowski too, but his bread and butter has always been the quick release short passes that have often substituted for a run game. It's in this area that NE will be almost unstoppable. And if you play in to prevent that he will burn you over the top to Cooks or Gronkowski.

Oh yah, in real football terms its awesome. I think Gill is underrated, White is a proven check-down producer, Lewis whenever he's healthy is a legitimate rushing and receiving threat, I view Burkhead as potentially a healthier version of Lewis... basically the Pats can activate any three of these guys on gameday and can roll out so many possible backfield looks and plays down to down that by Week 16 opposing defenses still won't have enough tape to know exactly what to anticipate in pre-game planning, and when a given RB trots out to stand behind/beside Brady.

But, yeah, in fantasy, it means they're all gonna be no better than dice-roll RB3/4s unless there are some injuries.

[James McGhee]

As I stated earlier in the Cooks thread, I think with Cooks stretching the field and Gronkowski hopefully healthy again and terrorizing the seam routes the underneath is going to be wide open. With Edelmann in the slot and White, Lewis(?), and Burkhead in motion and playing check down and flats receiver NE offense is going to be a monster. Brady is the beneficiary here. He can still throw deep so Cooks will get his, and Gronkowski too, but his bread and butter has always been the quick release short passes that have often substituted for a run game. It's in this area that NE will be almost unstoppable. And if you play in to prevent that he will burn you over the top to Cooks or Gronkowski.

Oh yah, in real football terms its awesome. I think Gill is underrated, White is a proven check-down producer, Lewis whenever he's healthy is a legitimate rushing and receiving threat, I view Burkhead as potentially a healthier version of Lewis... basically the Pats can activate any three of these guys on gameday and can roll out so many possible backfield looks and plays down to down that by Week 16 opposing defenses still won't have enough tape to know exactly what to anticipate in pre-game planning, and when a given RB trots out to stand behind/beside Brady.

But, yeah, in fantasy, it means they're all gonna be no better than dice-roll RB3/4s unless there are some injuries.

Dice roll for sure but I bet there's weekly RB1 potential in PPR if you pick correctly. Obviously a gamble not worth taking in fantasy when there are safer floor options to Flex but dang I can't wait to see this in action. And as a Brady owner and admitted fanboy I am looking forward to '17.

[Space Cowboy]

I don't think there will be a Blount role, exactly. Probably more passing TDs and less rushing TDs

This is my thought as well. Not sure why everyone assumes someone will get plugged in and just stroll for 1,100 yards and 18 TDs. Divide those #'s by 4 and that's who'll fit the Blount role.

[Kramer]

I really hope that a team like the Eagles or Colts trade for or pick up Dion Lewis. This is not a backfield that will be fun to mess with. Lewis could be an RB2 with the right team.

[osubuckeyeman]

Had Gills last season and was pretty productive as a flex. Picked up Burkhead very late last season as a flier for this season. I don't know how I feel about either one on the Patriots. I like them both and as a Bengal fan, I can tell you Rex can play and is very underrated. I got one offer for Rex when he got picked up and it was really low. My point is as far as dynasty goes it is a wait and see. Patriots paid both backs pretty well and what that says for the other two can't be good right? I wonder if there could be a trade somewhere down the line with Lewis or White. It's hard to get excited about any of the backs however, there is something that always has stuck with me when it comes to decisions on products or assets. Follow the money. Just smells fishy in New England. That screwy rabbit BB is up to something.

[BuckeyeNation]

I don't think there will be a Blount role, exactly. Probably more passing TDs and less rushing TDs

This is my thought as well. Not sure why everyone assumes someone will get plugged in and just stroll for 1,100 yards and 18 TDs. Divide those #'s by 4 and that's who'll fit the Blount role.

I don't think anyone in this thread has come close to claiming that any NE RB will rack up 1100/18.

I don't get the misunderstanding of the term "Blount role" in which it means that someone in this backfield will replicate Blount's 2015 numbers. Those stats are an anomaly and the TD total is astronomical. It would be nearly impossible for any RB to replicate that TD total. The only thing people are saying when they refer to this role is that they believe that one of these RBs will carve out and solidify the early down role and possibly be the preferred GL RB. As for the projected stats of an entrenched early down back in this offense, 700 yards with a 900-1000 yard ceiling and 7-8 TDs probably isn't out of the question. I personally think 1k yards would be pretty much the absolute ceiling though, and 700-800 is probably more realistic.

[ninotoreS]

Dice roll for sure but I bet there's weekly RB1 potential in PPR if you pick correctly.

I meant a season-long label, factoring in the unreliability. Sure, week to week, the ceiling for any active Patriots RB getting decent snaps is top-10 RB fantasy production.

Which is why we keep chasing this carousel... sigh

[thewirelessathlete]

Dont know why people keep mentioning Dion Lewis to the Eagles.....they are the ones who parted ways with him before he went to the Patriots.

[DLF3000]

I hope he doesn't go the Pats from a dynasty perspective. Screw that. I'm had enough Ridley, Vereen and White madness on my roster to last a lifetime. Too much work, and too much guesswork for the payoff of the few weeks you start the right Patriots back.

I keep trying to rid myself of my hometown Pats RBs only to see this hilarious crap happen!

[Valhalla]

Maybe Brady shoots for 56 passing TDs and the rbs get more receiving TDs than rushing in this offense

[James McGhee]

Maybe Brady shoots for 56 passing TDs and the rbs get more receiving TDs than rushing in this offense

Gotta wrap up a few more passing records before retiring.