The Patriots made an expanded commitment to running the football last season. Of New England’s previous six seasons, the only one with more rushing attempts came in 2016 — when Tom Brady was suspended for four games.
Whether that trend continues remains to be seen, as Bill Belichick and his coaching staff are unpredictable. Still, one running back who figures to feature prominently is Sony Michel.
The 24-year-old running back is entering his second season. As a rookie, Michel, a first-round pick out of Georgia, played in 13 games during the regular season, finishing with 209 carries for 931 yards (4.