Patriots: 3 surprise division rivals who could burn New England

1. Myles Gaskin

Did one of the Dolphins’ dynamic pass-catching options deserve a spot on this list? Based on individual talent, any one of DeVante Parker, Will Fuller, Jaylen Waddle or even tight end Mike Gesicki could’ve gotten the nod and nobody would’ve batted an eyelash.

However, seeing as though we don’t trust Tua Tagovailoa to push the ball downfield to Miami’s quartet of playmakers, we simply couldn’t find it within ourselves to do so. Having said that, running back Myles Gaskin is still a worthy candidate after his promising 2020.

Myles Gaskin could feast against the Patriots next season.

Gaskin gained steam as a potential breakout player during preseason last year, and he really exceeded expectations before his season came off the rails down the stretch. For context, the former seventh-rounder spent Weeks 9-12 on injured reserve with an MCL injury and missed another two games after contracting COVID-19 prior to Week 14.

We all know how much the Patriots struggled against the run last year — they ranked 26th in rushing yards allowed per game — and though the defense improved from a personnel standpoint this offseason, don’t be surprised if Gaskin gashes them now that he’s finally fully healthy.

After all, despite Tagovailoa’s limitations as a downfield assassin, the likes of Parker, Fuller, Waddle and Gesicki will still command attention from Belichick.

Patriots: 3 players entering last-chance season in New England

These 3 players need to have their best seasons as Patriots in 2021, as failing to do so could buy them a one-way ticket out of town.