Sony Michel

It took the rookie a few games to get going, but Michel's 112-yard performance against the Dolphins in Week 4 announced that Bill Belichick intended to make him a key part of the Pats' attack. The running back was especially impressive in postseason, averaging more than 100 rushing yards a game and finding the end zone six times in three games. Running behind a stout offensive line, Michel found a lot of holes, taking the yards he was given while flashing a strong burst that ranked him 11th in the league in quickest average time to the line of scrimmage. He lacks elite speed, however, and despite a reputation in college as a tough runner to bring down, he broke only 23 tackles last year, 44th in the league. Combined with a lack of opportunity to make a big contribution in the passing game due to James White's presence, there seems to be a cap on Michel's upside in New England. He should split touches once again with White, and the Patriots also have Rex Burkhead and third-round pick Damien Harris competing for snaps. Michel's role primarily on early downs makes it tough to project a full breakout, despite the headlines he generated in the playoffs. A knee scope in the spring creates added cause for concern, with Michel missing a good chunk of offseason workouts and the first few days of training camp.

The 31st overall pick in this year's draft, Michel is a tough player to categorize. His size and role at Georgia alongside Nick Chubb encouraged some Alvin Kamara comparisons, but Michel is a different kind of runner, preferring to use his burst and low center of gravity to break tackles rather than avoiding contact. He does have some elusiveness, and his 4.54 40-yard dash time at the Combine is more than adequate, but his north-south style and inconsistent usage in the passing game at Georgia mark him as more of an early down and short-yardage option than a true three-down back. That skill set would make him an exciting complement to James White in a more conventional, less-crowded NFL backfield, but with Rex Burkhead, Mike Gillislee and Jeremy Hill also in the mix, Michel will need to make a good impression in training camp to earn significant snaps right away. An August injury certainly won't help in that regard, though the Patriots are optimistic Michel will recover from a minor procedure to drain fluid in his knee in time for Week 1.