Patriots players who must step up during A.J. Brown's absence

The New England Patriots offense looked shaky in its season opener against the Seattle Seahawks, a team that has quickly become a bogey opponent for New England. The unit struggled to find consistency, and things became even more concerning after A.J. Brown suffered a high ankle sprain.

New England has now placed Brown on injured reserve, meaning he will miss at least four games. His injury has also led some fans to question whether trading Kayshon Boutte was the right move, especially now that the Patriots look thinner at receiver.

Regardless, New England has to move forward with the group it has. Brown’s absence puts more pressure on Drake Maye and several Patriots players who must step up until he returns.

Romeo Doubs must bounce back

Doubs now has a major opportunity, but he also needs to respond after a rough start to the season. Doubs struggled against Seattle and had a bad drop that prevented him from making a bigger impact.

New England invested heavily in Doubs this offseason, signing him to a four-year, $68 million contract. With Brown sidelined, the Patriots need that investment to start paying off quickly.

Doubs should see more opportunities from Maye and has a chance to establish himself as one of the offense’s top outside targets. New England needs him to be more reliable over the next several weeks.

DeMario Douglas could see more opportunities

Douglas should remain an important part of the offense from the slot. With Doubs and Mack Hollins handling most of the work on the outside, Douglas can stay in the role where he is most effective.

His quickness and ability to create separation underneath give Maye a dependable option, especially with Brown unavailable. Douglas could also see more targets on shorter routes and have additional chances to create after the catch.

Hollins should still have a role as well. The veteran has quietly become one of Maye’s trusted targets in crucial situations, giving New England another reliable option on the outside.

Hunter Henry becomes even more important

Henry should become an even bigger part of New England’s passing game while Brown is out. The veteran tight end gives Maye a reliable option over the middle and in key situations, especially on third down and in the red zone.

Rookie Eli Raridon could benefit as well if the Patriots use more two tight end formations.

Kyle Williams has a major opportunity

Williams could be one of the biggest beneficiaries of Brown’s absence. The former third-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft was one of New England’s preseason standouts, catching six passes for 166 yards and scoring three touchdowns.

Williams also flashed big-play ability as a rookie, averaging 20.9 yards per reception on 10 catches. That vertical threat gives the Patriots another way to stretch defenses while Brown is unavailable.

He played only 12 snaps and did not receive a target in Week 1, but that should change quickly. With more snaps available on the outside, Williams now has a real opportunity to become a bigger part of the Patriots offense.

Ultimately, Brown’s production will have to be replaced collectively. Doubs, Douglas, Henry, Williams and others must step up if New England wants its offense to remain productive until Brown returns.