For the first time in seemingly forever, the Patriots have an adequate wide receiver room. The addition of Stefon Diggs has given them a de facto No. 1 receiver, and the rest of the unit has stepped up in their respective roles.
However, there is one player on the offense who deserves more attention after a fantastic start to the season. And that player is none other than Kayshon Boutte, who has had a breakout season in Year 3 with New England.
The Patriots need to feature Kayshon Boutte more in the offense the rest of the season
Boutte has started five games this season for the Patriots, and he’s played 72 percent of the plays on offense. That number doesn’t need to change because the Patriots do like to use several personnel groupings, and they finally have enough depth at receiver to give players like Diggs and Boutte some rest.
But what needs to change is the number of targets. Boutte has just 30 targets through the first eight games and has not exceeded five targets in a single game since Week 1. However, he continues to be highly efficient, averaging a stunning 14.4 yards per target this season. That is the highest number in the league among players with at least 15 targets, according to Pro Football Reference.
Boutte is averaging over 18 yards per reception this year and has really developed into a good player in New England. He has scored a team-high five touchdowns, and that's after scoring just three during the first two years of his career. However, it’s time for the Patriots to consider using him more in the offense.
In a recent article by Lauren Gray of Pro Football Focus, she wrote about the top 32 receivers in the NFL through the first eight weeks of the season. That list included Boutte, who came in at No. 18, four spots behind Diggs. Here is a snippet of what she had to say about the former LSU star and his production this season:
"The 23-year-old now has tallied 23 catches for 431 yards, helping open up the Patriots' passing game with his vertical ability. He has nine catches of 20-plus yards and is one of three NFL receivers with a perfect deep-field PFF receiving grade (Jaxon Smith-Njigba and DeAndre Hopkins). He also boasts a perfect passer rating when targeted on 20-plus-yard throws. Boutte has caught nine of 10 deep targets for 236 yards (third most), and all of his touchdowns have come from that range."Lauren Gray, Pro Football Focus
No one is saying that the Patriots need to make Boutte the No. 1 receiver in New England or anything like that. But, he should be a focal point of the offense and receive five or more targets every single week moving forward. And maybe it’s time for the Patriots to consider shortening their wide receiver rotation and giving Boutte an extra target or two every single week.
More targets mean that his efficiency will drop, but Boutte is performing at such a high level right now that the Patriots have to get more involved. The passing game has already improved by leaps and bounds this season, but it could be even better if they remove some of the lower-quality options in their passing game and give those targets to players like Diggs and Boutte.
We will see what the second half of the season brings for Boutte, but it’s hard not to be thrilled with his production and play after eight games. He’s earned more opportunities, and the Patriots would be wise to give him more targets in the passing game.