With two weeks to go in the regular season, the New England Patriots are set to embark on a playoff run. Before that begins, however, they received some devastating injury news on one of their top wide receivers. WR Mack Hollins was placed on Injured Reserve (IR) on Saturday with an abdomen injury, and with the four-game minimum absence, will miss the remainder of the regular season and the first two playoff games for the Patriots.
Since being drafted in the fourth round by the Eagles out of North Carolina back in 2017, Hollins has bounced around the league a bit. He’s played for the Eagles, Dolphins, Raiders, Falcons, Bills, and Patriots, with his best season coming in 2022 with the Raiders. That year in Las Vegas, he had 57 receptions for 690 yards and four touchdowns.
The New England Patriots Will Have to Look Elsewhere with WR Mack Hollins Out
GettyBALTIMORE, MARYLAND – DECEMBER 21: Mack Hollins #13 and Rhamondre Stevenson #38 of the New England Patriots react during the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium on December 21, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
The Patriots have employed a “wide receiver by committee” approach to their offense in 2025. Without a clear-cut go-to guy, they’ve spread the ball around, with second-year QB Drake Maye getting lots of guys involved in the offense to keep defenses from keying in on one target.
Hollins is the third-leading receiver in New England this season by receptions, targets, and yards. WR Stefon Diggs and TE Hunter Henry are the main guys in this passing attack, but Hollins provided a reliable third option behind them.
Without Hollins available for at least the next four games, the Patriots will have to turn elsewhere. Thankfully, they have options. WRs DeMario Douglas and Kayshon Boutte would figure to be the next men up — both have at least 30 targets and 400 receiving yards on the season. Rookie third-round WR Kyle Williams only has seven catches on the season, but three have gone for touchdowns and he has a staggering 27 yards per reception average, a simply ridiculous number. He could replicate some of Hollins’ deep field production.
Alternatively, the Patriots could get the backs more involved. Both RBs TreVeyon Henderson and Rhamondre Stevenson have been heavily involved in the passing game, as each has at least 25 receptions and 200 receiving yards on the season. TE Austin Hooper could see his usage increase, as well.
The New England Patriots are in the Driver’s Seat for the AFC East
With two games to go, the Patriots sit at 12-3, one game better than the 11-4 Bills. With games against the Jets and Dolphins still to come, all New England needs to do is win both to win the AFC East for the first time since Tom Brady’s last season with the team in 2019.
But the Patriots are just a half-game behind the 13-3 Broncos in the AFC playoff picture after Denver defeated Kansas City on Christmas Day. They are still very much in the hunt for the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which would give them a first-round bye.
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