It’s not uncommon for an undrafted, training camp MVP to capture the hearts of fans before fading to the backend of the roster or practice squad once the regular season commences.
For the New England Patriots and wide receiver Efton Chism, what felt like a fun summer fling is morphing into something much, much bigger.
There’s no sugarcoating the significance of Mack Hollins landing on injured reserve, a Saturday surprise prior to last week’s game against the Jets that no Patriots fan saw coming. Hollins was New England’s most versatile receiver, given his size and ability to stay on the field as a threat in obvious rushing situations.
The Patriots don't have a "next man up" on their roster who can step in and fill Hollins' role. On the brink of the AFC playoffs, offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and company will be forced to adjust.
And Chism could become a larger part of the solution than anyone expected.
Efton Chism’s momentum with Patriots is very real after Week 17 breakout
With Hollins now out of the equation until at least the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots’ wide receiver room is now a heck of a lot smaller — in terms of stature. Stefon Diggs, at barely six feet, is now the tallest receiver on the active roster.
From a bird’s-eye view, third-round rookie Kyle Williams figured to receive the largest opportunity boost. The Patriots could mix and match with Kayson Boutte and either Diggs or Williams on the outside, with both DeMario Douglas and Diggs taking reps out of the slot.
In Sunday’s blowout win over the Jets, that idea did come to fruition, especially with Boutte missing the game due to a concussion. Williams played a career-high 56 snaps. Chism, however, played much more than just a depth slot receiver role; the undrafted rookie played 41 snaps, and he was lined up out wide for 66.7 percent of them, per Pro Football Focus.
Head coach Mike Vrabel has lauded Chism’s work ethic, and the team’s reaction to his 10-yard touchdown reception from quarterback Drake Maye said it all.
Efton Chism III catches the TD ... and you can see how much respect he's earned from teammates as they swarm him to celebrate his first NFL regular-season score.
— Mike Reiss (@MikeReiss) December 28, 2025
Clearly, the Patriots are planning to use everybody to fill the sizable void left by Hollins, who’s the team’s third-leading receiver behind Diggs and Hunter Henry.
McDaniels’ offense is always at its best when there’s a bunch of interchangeable parts at his disposal, and that could end up defining the Patriots’ game plan come playoff time — with Chism representing the ultimate Swiss Army Knife that teams really won't know how to prepare for.