News: Patriots PK Stephen Gostkowski hit two field goals and four extra points at Indy in Week 10. He totaled 10 points for the Patriots.

Analysis: Gostkowski is a solid No. 1 Fantasy kicker worth starting week in and week out including at Baltimore in Week 11. Keep him active for the rest of the season and don't worry about the necessary evil this position carries in Fantasy

Gostkowski made both of his field goal attempts en route to a 10-point effort in Sunday's loss to the Colts.

Spin: Another solid effort from Gostkowski, who remains one of the league's more reliable fantasy kicking options.Sun, Nov 15

Gostkowski made all four of his field goal attempts en route to a 13-point effort in Sunday's win over the Dolphins.

Spin: Now that the Patriots' bye week is behind him, Gostkowski should continue to be a productive fantasy kicker more often than not in the coming weeks.Sun, Nov 8

Sammy Morris is questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: Morris missed the last three games with a knee injury, but appears to be nearing his return to the gridiron. Fred Taylor (ankle) will remain out, so Laurence Maroney should continue to handle the bulk of the workload at running back on game day.

Updating an earlier report, Fred Taylor has been ruled out for Sunday's game against the Jets, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: Fragile Fred will be missing his sixth straight game with an ankle injury. Sammy Morris is questionable with his ailing knee, meaning Laurence Maroney will likely remain the Patriots' No. 1 running back.

Fred Taylor (knee) is absent from Patriots practice on Friday, according to ESPN.

Our View: He is almost certain to be out again this Sunday. Laurence Maroney will continue to handle number-one back duties.

Dan Koppen exited the game against Miami in the second quarter with an undisclosed injury, according to Mike Reiss' twitter page.

Our View: Dan Connolly has taken his place in the lineup at center. No additional information is currently available regarding the severity of the injury.

New England Patriots OG Dan Connolly (knee) was limited during practice Friday, Oct. 23, after injuring his knee during practice. He is listed as questionable for Week 7 and is not expected to be available for the game.

Week 2 inactives: LB Jerod Mayo, WR Wes Welker, WR, Matt Slater, OG Dan Connolly, CB Terrance Wheatley, OG Kendall Simmons and TE Michael Matthews.

Our View: We already reported the Welker news earlier, get Joey Galloway in your lineup this week. Also, with Mayo (knee) out indefinitely - Gary Guyton will replace him and be a three-down inside linebacker.

Patriots rookie LT Sebastian Vollmer kept Colts DE Dwight Freeney sackless for the first time all season Sunday. While Robert Mathis was dominating RT Nick Kaczur, Vollmer more than held his own against the All Pro. Bigger and more athletic than Matt Light, it's possible that Vollmer will hold onto the starting job even when Light returns from a knee injury.Source: Providence Journal

Coach Bill Belichick envisions rookie Sebastian Vollmer as a "swing tackle" for the Patriots this season. Vollmer is physical enough to play right tackle and athletic enough to fend off pass rushers at left tackle. Originally considered a development project with intriguing size and athleticism, Vollmer is catching on quickly.Source: Boston Globe

Coach Bill Belichick envisions rookie Sebastian Vollmer as a "swing tackle" for the Patriots this season. Vollmer is physical enough to play right tackle and athletic enough to fend off pass rushers at left tackle. "To have a true swing tackle, that's a tough position to find," said Belichick. "Sebastian seems very good at that to this point."Source: Boston Globe

News: Patriots RB Kevin Faulk had a productive outing considering his usual effort, gaining 79 yards on 12 carries with 7 yards on two receptions.

Analysis: Faulk typically doesn't put up enough stats to warrant Fantasy use but saw a lot of action here in tandem with Laurence Maroney. Faulk remains nothing more than a bench option, primarily in PPR formats. The Patriots play the Jets at home in Week 11

Kevin Faulk ran 12 times for 79 yards and caught two passes for seven yards in Week 10 against the Colts. Faulk and Laurence Maroney split the load in Indianapolis while Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor nursed injuries. Faulk ran hard and effectively but is still buried in a running back rotation and has little fantasy value.

Faulk carried 12 times for 79 yards and caught two passes for seven yards in Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Colts.

Spin: It was the first time this season that Faulk had more than five carries. The team seems to prefer him in a change-of-pace role, but he got hot Sunday and wound up with more touches than usual in Week 10.Sun, Nov 15

News: Patriots RB BenJarvus Green-Ellis, WR Matt Slater, WR Sam Aiken and QB Brian Hoyer all dressed for New England's Week 10 loss to the Colts but didn't record an offensive stat.

Analysis: Green-Ellis and Aiken have minimal potential as reserve options but will need players on the depth chart to falter before they see playing time. Keep them and Slater and Hoyer on waivers for now

News: Patriots QB Brian Hoyer had three rushes for 17 yards in a Week 7 rout of the Buccaneers in London. He came into the game late as a garbage-time replacement for Tom Brady.

Analysis: Hoyer might get some more action this season if the Patriots are up big again, but he has no Fantasy value at the moment. New England is off in Week 8

News: The Titans couldn't even stop New England when Brian Hoyer, a free agent rookie from Michigan State, took over for Tom Brady on the second series of the third quarter with the score 52-0 in Week 6. He completed 9 of 11 passes for 52 yards in his pro debut and scored on a 1-yard run on his first series.

Analysis: Hoyer's performance might have given the Patriots some hope in the event Brady ever went down with a serious injury again. But Brady is healthy and was quite productive Week 6 -- six touchdowns -- so Hoyer will remain on the bench. It's safe to ignore him in Fantasy heading into Week 7 against the Bucs

News: Patriots RB Kevin Faulk had a productive outing considering his usual effort, gaining 79 yards on 12 carries with 7 yards on two receptions.

Analysis: Faulk typically doesn't put up enough stats to warrant Fantasy use but saw a lot of action here in tandem with Laurence Maroney. Faulk remains nothing more than a bench option, primarily in PPR formats. The Patriots play the Jets at home in Week 11

Kevin Faulk ran 12 times for 79 yards and caught two passes for seven yards in Week 10 against the Colts. Faulk and Laurence Maroney split the load in Indianapolis while Sammy Morris and Fred Taylor nursed injuries. Faulk ran hard and effectively but is still buried in a running back rotation and has little fantasy value.

Faulk carried 12 times for 79 yards and caught two passes for seven yards in Sunday's 35-34 loss to the Colts.

Spin: It was the first time this season that Faulk had more than five carries. The team seems to prefer him in a change-of-pace role, but he got hot Sunday and wound up with more touches than usual in Week 10.Sun, Nov 15

New England Patriots OG Stephen Neal (head) and LB Rob Ninkovich (knee) missed the team’s practice Friday, Nov. 20. Both are listed as questionable for Week 11 and are not expected to play.

Stephen Neal did not return to the Patriots' game on Sunday night after suffering a head injury, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: His status has yet to be updated. Tom Brady's surgically repaired knee is certainly hoping it will not be without its starting right guard in Week 11.

Patriots RG Stephen Neal left Sunday night's game with a head injury and is questionable to return. Neal suffered the injury late in the third quarter. It's not clear if he will be able to return to the primetime game against the Colts.

New England Patriots OG Stephen Neal (rest) and OT Nick Kaczur (ankle) participated in practice Friday, Oct. 16. They are not on the injury report for Week 6 and will play.

New England Patriots OT Nick Kaczur (ankle) was limited in practice Thursday, Oct. 15. He has been limited in practice for two weeks, but he has been able to start the last two games.

Nick Kaczur is expected to play on Sunday despite being limited in practice this week with an ankle injury, according to Scout.com. Kaczur should start at right tackle for the Patriots against the Broncos barring a setback.

Our View: Kaczur is a tough offensive lineman, so no little ankle injury is goin to keep him out. This is good news for Tom Brady owners in particular, as quarterback usually suffer when the offensive line gets shuffled.

Ben Watson (knee) is probable for Sunday's game against the Jets, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: Watson only caught 20 passes over nine games this season, and the Jets have been tough on opposing tight ends - meaning Watson is not a good fantasy option.

Ben Watson was held to one reception for 36 yards in Week 10. Watson's flashed excellent speed on his one catch, but he's a fourth or fifth option in the Patriots' passing attack and is only attractive in certain matchups. The Pats take on the division rival Jets next week.

Ben Watson fully practiced Friday and is expected to play in Sunday night's game at Indianapolis, according to NFL.com. He has been dealing with a back ailment.

Our View: This is good news, but Watson will have a very tough matchup - as the Colts have only allowed 237 yards and one touchdown to tight ends over eight games.

Welker had nine catches for 94 yards in the Patriots' 35-34 loss to Indianapolis on Sunday night.

Impacts: While it was a bit disappointing to see Welker fall just short of 100 yards - and get held out of the end zone for a second straight week - expect a big week from him against the Jets. New York will likely shadow Randy Moss with standout cornerback Darrelle Revis, leaving Welker a potentially frequent option for Tom Brady.

Wes Welker performed well in Sunday night's 35-34 loss at Indianapolis, as he caught nine passes for 94 yards.

Our View: The star receiver is averaging nine receptions and 104 yards over his last five games, and should remain among the steadiest fantasy performers at the position.

News: Pats WR Wes Welker caught nine passes for 94 yards against the Colts in Week 11. Welker also made an impact as a punt returner, getting 117 yards on five chances including a 69-yard return that set up a Patriots touchdown.

Analysis: Welker saw some pretty good coverage throughout the game and ultimately posted great reception totals as he typically does but was held out of the end zone. The good news is that Welker has caught at least nine passes in each of his last four games, so his opportunities continue to stay consistent. He's a solid No. 2 Fantasy WR with No. 1 potential against the Jets in Week 11

Aiken (hip) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, the Boston Globe reports.

Spin: Even if Aiken plays Sunday, he'll have to fight for limited looks behind Randy Moss and Wes Welker.Fri, Nov 20

Aiken (hip) was listed as a limited participant at Thursday's practice, ESPN.com reports.

Spin: It looks like Aiken has a shot to play in Week 11, but when he is in there, he has to fight for scraps behind Randy Moss and Wes Welker.Thu, Nov 19

Patriots WR Sam Aiken (hip) returned to practice in a limited fashion Thursday. Aiken has a shot to play this week, but he won't see as much time as the No. 3 receiver with Julian Edelman now healthy.Source: Ian R. Rapoport on Twitter

McGowan had 11 tackles and a forced fumble in Sunday's win over the Dolphins.

Spin: McGowan, who now has 54 tackles in eight games, has played his way into IDP consideration, having claimed a starting safety job with the Pats.Sun, Nov 8

James Sanders will limited in Wednesday's practice while recovering from a shoulder injury, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: Sanders was unable to play in Week 5 at Denver, and it is uncertain if he will be fit to return on Sunday against Tennessee. Brandon McGowan started at free safety last week in his absence.

McGowan had nine tackles in Sunday's loss to the Broncos.

Spin: McGowan, who now has 29 tackles and a forced fumble through five games, was counted on more than usual in Week 5, with James Sanders out with a shoulder injury.Sun, Oct 11

New England Patriots CB Shawn Springs (knee) practiced in full Friday, Nov. 20. He is listed as probable for Week 11 and is expected to play.

Springs (shoulder) is listed as probable for Sunday's game against the Jets, the Boston Globe reports.

Spin: Springs, who has seen his workload reduced in recent weeks, was a healthy scratch last weekend, so he should be nowhere near fantasy lineups unless or until he starts seeing more snaps.Fri, Nov 20

New England Patriots CB Shawn Springs (knee) practiced in full Thursday, Nov. 19.

Butler had seven tackles in Sunday's win over the Dolphins.

Spin: It was easily a season-high for the rookie, who now has a total of 12 tackles in seven games.Sun, Nov 8

New England Patriots CB Darius Butler (ankle) was limited during practice Friday, Oct. 23. He is listed as questionable for Week 7 and will be a game-time decision.

New England Patriots CB Darius Butler (ankle), OT Matt Light (knee) and WR Julian Edelman (forearm) missed the team’s practice Thursday, Oct. 22.

News: Patriots LB Jerod Mayo (12 tackles, one for loss), DB Brandon McGowan (11 tackles), LB Tully Banta-Cain (nine tackles), LB Adalius Thomas (four tackles, sack) and DB Pat Chung (three tackles, sack) led the way defensively in a Week 9 win over the Dolphins.

Analysis: Mayo has been shaking off the rust after missing basically the first three games of the season, and this outing might be a sign that he's ready to perform like a No. 1 Fantasy LB once again. McGowan is a decent low-end DB in deeper IDP leagues while the other three aren't really worth concerning yourself with in Week 10 at Indianapolis

Mayo had a team-high 12 tackles in Sunday's win over the Dolphins.

Spin: Now healthy and past his bye week, Mayo is once again an attractive IDP option at linebacker.Sun, Nov 8

News: Patriots LB Jerod Mayo (eight tackles), DB Brandon McGowan (five tackles), LB Tully Banta-Cain (five tackles), DB Pat Chung (four tackles, sack), DL Derrick Burgess (two tackles, sack) and DL Mike Wright (sack) all helped out with nice performances in a Week 7 rout of the Buccaneers over in England.

Analysis: Mayo and McGowan are solid starting LBs in most IDP formats, while Burgess and Wright have minimal value in deeper leagues. Bench all of them in Week 8 however, as the Patriots are off. The other two guys are not worth worrying about

News: Derrick Burgess spent another day away from practice. For a change, no one seemed upset. Not even the linebacker whose chance for a starting job faded when the New England Patriots obtained Burgess, a strong pass rusher and two-time Pro Bowl player, from the Oakland Raiders. "You can't worry," Pierre Woods said Friday. "It's good that the guy's on the team. He's coming in to help and that's all that matters. We're trying to work together. We're trying to win games, and that's it." Coach Bill Belichick had been trying to fill the outside linebacker spot left vacant when he traded Mike Vrabel to the Kansas City Chiefs in February. Burgess held out of Oakland's training camp in hopes of forcing a trade. On Thursday, about four months after Belichick first talked to Raiders owner Al Davis about a deal for Burgess, the Patriots and the player joined forces. New England gave up undisclosed draft considerations that Belichick said should be determined in a few weeks. Burgess played left defensive end in Oakland's 4-3 alignment but figures to play linebacker in New England's 3-4.

Analysis: Woods is entering his fourth season with the Patriots, who signed him as an undrafted free agent out of Michigan. He got his first three pro starts last year because of injuries, then missed the last four games with a broken jaw. "Pierre is a player that's improved steadily through the course of his career," Belichick said. "He's improved in every area of his game. He's still a young player that's continuing to get better." Still, Belichick wanted help at outside linebacker so he got Burgess. That likely will reduce Woods' playing time, but the coach didn't seem worried about hurting any feelings. "He said, `We got a new teammate. Let's get it on,"' Woods said. Woods might have been an impact Fantasy IDP player in 2009 had Burgess not arrived, but now that he is with the team, Woods still has minimal appeal

Pierre Woods is working with the Patriots' starters at weak outside linebacker, according to NFL.com.

Our View: Woods is not a strong blitzer, but still looks to be the favorite to start as of now. The Patriots are high on him, and he would be worth consideration as a late-round flier for IDP leagues if he nails down the starting role.

Pierre Woods continues to have the inside track on the Patriots' open job at weak outside linebacker. This could change if Derrick Burgess is acquired, but Woods is running with the first-team defense with Tully Banta-Cain on the second and Pierre Woods still on active/PUP. Still, Woods might be the weakest blitzer of the group.Source: NFL.com

Banta-Cain (ribs) said "there's a good chance'" he'll play Sunday against the Jets, the Boston Globe reports.

Spin: That sounds promising, but without him saying so, we'd guess that his final status won't be confirmed until shortly before kickoff.Sat, Nov 21

New England Patriots LB Tully Banta-Cain (groin) was limited during the team’s practice Friday, Nov. 20. He is listed as questionable for Week 11, but he is expected to play if he can handle the pain.

Banta-Cain (groin) practiced for the first time this week Friday, albeit in a limited fashion, the Boston Globe reports.

Spin: He's one of 13 Pats listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, and give that he only practiced once this week, you'll want to check his status Sunday if he is one of your IDPs.Fri, Nov 20

Wilhite (illness) does not appear on Wednesday's practice participation/injury report.

Spin: He'll be available this weekend, but with just 16 tackles in six games, Wilhite is not much of a fantasy factor yet.Wed, Nov 11

Wilhite (illness) is inactive for Sunday's game against the Dolphins.

Spin: His absence will create added opportunities this weekend for Terrence Wheatley.Sun, Nov 8

New England Patriots CB Jonathan Wilhite (illness) did not participate in practice Friday, Nov. 6. He is listed as questionable for Week 9.

New England Patriots DE Jarvis Green (knee) was limited during the team’s practice Friday, Nov. 20. He is listed as questionable for Week 11, but he is not expected to play.

Green (knee) practiced for the first time this week on Friday and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against the Jets, the Boston Globe reports.

Spin: We'd be surprised if Green were out there this week, but his presence Friday suggests a return is on the horizon.Fri, Nov 20

New England Patriots DE Jarvis Green (knee), LB Tully Banta-Cain (groin), OG Stephen Neal (head) and LB Rob Ninkovich (knee) missed the team’s practice Thursday, Nov. 19.

Guyton (illness) was removed from the Patriots' practice participation/injury report Thursday, ESPN.com reports.

Spin: It looks like all systems are go for Guyton for Sunday's game against the Jets.Thu, Nov 19

Guyton (undisclosed reason) was not present for the media access portion of Wednesday's practice, ESPN.com reports.

Spin: More on the status of Guyton, who is coming off an eight-tackle game against the Colts, as the week rolls along.Wed, Nov 18

Monique Walker, of the Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots WR Sam Aiken (hip), LB Tully Banta-Cain (groin), DE Jarvis Green (knee), LB Gary Guyton (illness), OG Stephen Neal (head) and LB Rob Ninkovich (knee) did not participate in practice Wednesday, Nov. 18.

Shalise Manza Young, of The Providence Journal, reports New England Patriots LB Adalius Thomas (personal) was present during the media-access portion of practice Wednesday, Nov. 4.

Adalius Thomas (undisclosed) was absent from Tuesday's practice, according to the Boston Globe.

Our View: Thomas was not motivated to perform better following his benching, as he only made one solo tackle in Week 7 at Tampa Bay. He will not be a recommended option for IDP leagues in Sunday's game against Miami.

Monique Walker, of the Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots WR Julian Edelman (forearm), LB Adalius Thomas (undisclosed), RB Fred Taylor (ankle), CB Jonathan Wilhite (undisclosed), RB Sammy Morris (knee), OT Matt Light (knee) and DL Jarvis Green (knee) were not seen during the media-access portion of practice Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Mike Reiss, of The Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots S Patrick Chung will likely be the team’s primary punt returner for their preseason game Friday, Aug. 28.

Mike Reiss, of the Boston Globe, reports New England Patriots SS Patrick Chung has been playing in the deep third of the field during practices as well as lining up as the slot corner and doing several things on special teams at training camp.

News: Safety Patrick Chung is the latest second-round pick to sign with the New England Patriots. Chung signed on Monday, the last of the team's four second-rounders to agree to terms. Details were not disclosed, although the other three Patriots draftees in that round signed four-year contracts. The former Oregon safety started the most games in his school's history. He was the Patriots first selection in this year's draft after they traded out of the first round.

Analysis: Chung will battle for playing time in camp and is the kind of hard-hitting safety the team has longed for. He's got a shot to be useful in IDP leagues if he can find regular playing time. Consider him a sleeper worth a late-round pick in seasonal and dynasty leagues; he's a mid-round choice in rookie-only drafts