Mack Hollins DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) has been placed on injured reserve, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Hollins had already been ruled out for Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders, but his placement on IR will now sideline him through Week 8 at the earliest. The Patriots find themselves short-staffed at wide receiver right now, and they'll look for players like Romeo Doubs and Efton Chism III to continue to step up on Sunday afternoon. Reinforcements could also be on the way, as AJ Brown (ankle) is eligible to return from IR next week. However, a Week 6 return for Brown may be ambitious, as that would put him ahead of his initial timeline. Nevertheless, Hollins' absence means that Drake Maye will have to find a different receiver to trust in contested or high-leverage scenarios. The 33-year-old had been one of his go-to options in the passing attack, catching 15 passes for 209 yards through the first four games of the season.

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) did not practice all week and has officially been ruled out for the Week 5 game against the Las Vegas Raiders on Sunday, according to the team. Hollins will miss his first game of the year after getting injured in the Week 4 win over the division-rival Buffalo Bills. With the 33-year-old veteran out and A.J. Brown (ankle) still on Injured Reserve, Romeo Doubs should have an even higher target ceiling against the Raiders. The Patriots will also ask DeMario Douglas, Efton Chism III, and Kyle Williams to step up, as well as tight ends Hunter Henry and Eli Raridon. It is not great news for young quarterback Drake Maye, as he looks to lead the team to a second straight win. Hollins has been a more attractive deep-league flex option with Brown on IR, and he has caught 15 of his 20 targets for 209 yards without a touchdown through four games in his second season in New England. The next chance Hollins has to return will be for a Week 6 divisional contest against the New York Jets.

New England Patriots wide receiver Mack Hollins (calf) was not spotted at Thursday's practice during the portion open to the media, according to Evan Lazar of the team's official website. Hollins also missed the first practice of the week on Wednesday, so as of now, he is trending in the wrong direction to be available in Week 5 at home against the Las Vegas Raiders. Top wideout A.J. Brown (ankle) remains on Injured Reserve and will miss a fourth straight game this weekend, so the Patriots receiving room could be pretty thinned out against Vegas if Hollins cannot play. The 33-year-old Hollins has merely been a flex play in deeper fantasy leagues, even with Brown out, and he is still searching for his first touchdown of the year. In the three games without Brown, Hollins has caught 11 of his 15 targets for 158 yards. Romeo Doubs will have at least one more week as the top dog at WR for the Pats, and DeMario Douglas, Kyle Williams, and Efton Chism III will have bigger roles against the Raiders if Hollins does not play in Week 5.