4 Patriots that have stood out the most in Weeks 1-4

Demario Douglas

After having a breakout summer during training camp, there was a lot of excitement surrounding rookie receiver Demario Douglas.

Although he was a sixth-round draft pick and was initially not as hyped as Kayshon Boutte, he changed the narrative and got the team and fans on his side with impressive performances on the practice field.

He won the coaches over fairly early, seemingly solidifying his roster spot before the preseason even began. Considering how difficult it can be for players to amaze a guy like Bill Belichick, it was very telling of how much faith they had in the young receiver.

In his first game as a New England Patriot, Douglas recorded four receptions for 40 yards, one of which was good for 23 yards. It was an impressive debut that grew anticipation for what we would see from him for the rest of the season.

The game against the Dolphins the following week started similarly for Douglas, but a fumble ultimately recovered by the defense in the first quarter put him in Bill Belichick's doghouse, similar to what happened to Rhamondre Stevenson early in his career.

He was seemingly placed in the infamous Belichick doghouse and wasn't utilized much in the game against the Jets because of the fumble the week before. Fortunately, that didn't last long, as he recorded two receptions for 45 yards in Dallas.

Since the receiving corps has underwhelmed so far this season, there's hope that Douglas will be more involved in the offense over the rest of the season. He's shown to be elusive and successful in gaining separation, which has been the biggest gripe of the receivers so far this year, so there's no reason for Bill O'Brien not to take advantage of Douglas' skillset far more moving forward.