There's been discussion of Harris potentially usurping Michel as the lead runner in New England, and while that could still end up happening at some point this year, we may have to wait a bit longer to find out. Per Reiss, Harris' "fresh legs and soft hands in the passing game" have helped the second-year back take advantage of the continued absence of Sony Michel, whose Week 1 status is cloudy as he continues to recover from May foot surgery. ET on the day of the game, whether it's Monday or Tuesday. Harris (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Cowboys.
In any case, until or unless long-term injuries or roster moves thin out the team's running back depth chart, a committee approach seems likely, with Michel the prime candidate for early-down work if Harris is unavailable to start the season. Harris' strong training camp has him poised to carve out a role -- when healthy -- in the Patriots' backfield after limited usage as a rookie. Meanwhile, Sony Michel -- who came of the PUP list Wednesday -- "looked light on his feet again." © 2020 Advance Local Media LLC.
Per Jeff Howe of the Athletic, the 2019 third-rounder missed three games with a hamstring injury and was a healthy scratch 12 times. © 2005-2020 CBS INTERACTIVE. Note to readers: if you purchase something through one of our affiliate links we may earn a commission. ⦠Shared carries throughout his college career, lessening his workload as he enters the NFL. The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Advance Local. The New England Patriots have struggled on the ground, but Damien Harris might return soon and save the day for the team. Harris has played well in two of this three outings this season and will look to put his best foot forward next Sunday against Buffalo. The browser you are using is no longer supported on this site.
Registration on or use of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, Privacy Policy and Cookie Statement, and Your California Privacy Rights (each updated 1/1/20). It is highly recommended that you use the latest versions of a supported browser in order to receive an optimal viewing experience. C.J. Harris gashed the San Francisco defense for 5.8 yards per carry and made a nice gain with his only reception, but his role was rather limited as his side went into the half down 20 points. ⦠Has the size to succeed as a power back.
⦠No frills style allows defenses to understand how he is used. Prior to the past couple days, Harris had been splitting first-team carries with Sony Michel, who returned from the PUP list last Wednesday. Everything you need to know about new Patriots RB Damien Harris, who was drafted in the third round of the 2019 NFL Draft. CBS Sports is a registered trademark of CBS Broadcasting Inc. Patriots' Damien Harris: Effective in limited duty, Patriots' Damien Harris: Six carries in loss, Patriots' Damien Harris: Broncos-Patriots pushed to Week 6, Patriots' Damien Harris: Hits century mark in loss, Patriots' Damien Harris: Activated from IR, Patriots' Damien Harris: Could be activated for Week 4, Patriots' Damien Harris: Not yet activated, Patriots' Damien Harris: Returns to practice, Patriots' Damien Harris: Set to miss at least three games, Patriots' Damien Harris: Week 1 status uncertain, Patriots' Damien Harris: Could miss Week 1, Patriots' Damien Harris: Misses back-to-back practices, Patriots' Damien Harris: Seeking expanded role, Patriots' Damien Harris: Long TD run at practice Thursday. If the game had been played Sunday, the Patriots would've been required to activate Harris from IR by Saturday at 4 p.m. In any case, the New England backfield will be closely watched over the next few weeks leading up to the season opener against Miami. Even before Michel's foot surgery was reported, there was some thought Harris might challenge for the lead ballcarrier role this upcoming season. My greatest accomplishment to date! #37 That said, it's always possible that roster churn and/or future injuries could change that context, but for now Harris still profiles as a depth option in the Patriots' backfield. His last game though proved quite positive as he rushed 17 times for 100 yards in the Patriots… ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Harris still has 12 days to get healthy before a Week 1 matchup with the Dolphins. The league hopes it can fit in the game Monday or Tuesday.
Game script dictated a larger role for White, who finished with eight catches as the Patriots spent the entire game playing from behind. Whether New England elects to activate Harris in advance of Sunday's game against the Chiefs could well hinge on whether it's felt that Sony Michel will be able to play through a quad injury that has him listed a questionable this week. Fantasy Football analysis: Patriots RBs Damien Harris, Rex Burkhead, James White Damien Harris, the former Alabama running back has seen a mixed bag in NE. Now that Michel is back, he can work toward securing a key role in the Patriots' backfield, which he led last season, but given that Harris has been having a strong training camp, a timeshare between the two could be on tap, with the versatile Rex Burkhead, pass-catching specialist James White -- and eventually Lamar Miller (knee) -- also factoring into the mix.
There have been few absolutes during this 2020 season altered greatly by the pandemic.