Patriots: 6 surprise players of 2015

5. James White

Listed as a running back on the roster, White specializes as a pass catcher out of the backfield, much like the man he replaced in the offense, Dion Lewis (more on him later). White rushed for just 56 yards on 22 carries, but he was very impactful in the passing game, snagging 40 balls for 410 yards and four touchdowns.

White may not have the jaw-dropping open field juking ability of Lewis, but he’s a dynamic player in his own right. He didn’t get many opportunities as a rookie, but once Lewis went down, White assumed a larger role in the offense and looked anything but out of place.

Top 15 Patriots moments of 2015

It was a frustrating Week 17 against the Miami Dolphins, but White’s 68-yard catch and run was perhaps the lone bright spot from the afternoon. The play was the complete White package—slippery route running, sure hands and creativity after the catch.

Another play that sticks out from White’s season was his 30-yard touchdown catch off a screen pass, which Bill Belichick called “one of the best executed” plays of the year.

Next: 4. Malcom Brown