The New England Patriots will play three games over the next 11 days, starting with Sunday’s road matchup with the Cincinnati Bengals.
It’s a daunting task for the rebuilding Patriots, who arrived in Cincinnati as 8.5-point underdogs. New England faces a tall order, but it has a relatively clear path toward keeping the game close — and even winning it.
But who will suit up for the Patriots on Sunday?
Let’s go over inactives, injury designations, and projected lineups.
Who Are the Inactives for the New England Patriots in Week 1 vs. Cincinnati Bengals?
Here’s the Patriots’ full Week 1 inactives list:
- G Sidy Sow
- QB Joe Milton III (emergency third QB)
- WR Javon Baker
- OT Demontrey Jacobs
- G Zach Thomas
- LB Curtis Jacobs
- DT Eric Johnson
Sidy Sow was ruled out in the final Week 1 injury report. The second-year guard hasn’t practiced since suffering an ankle injury in the Patriots’ preseason finale against Washington.
A week that began in controversy for Javon Baker ended in a benching for the fourth-round rookie receiver. Baker received backlash after ranting on Instagram Live about a Massachusetts police officer and showed no remorse during a conversation with Pro Football Network on Thursday.
On Monday, Jerod Mayo said Baker would be “punished” but not suspended. It’s unclear whether Baker’s Week 1 benching has anything to do with his off-field issues.
Demontrey Jacobs, Zach Thomas, Curtis Jacobs, and Eric Johnson were claimed off waivers after roster cutdowns. The Patriots still are getting all four players up to speed.
The Patriots entered Sunday with four players listed as questionable: Antonio Gibson, Jabrill Peppers, Vederian Lowe, and Joshua Uche. All four are active for Week 1.
Lowe was entrenched as the starting left tackle before suffering a late-summer abdomen injury. It’s unclear whether he’ll reclaim his spot in the season opener.
Projected Patriots Week 1 Starting Lineups
Lineups won’t be confirmed until after Sunday’s 1 p.m. kickoff, but here’s an educated guess at New England’s positional groupings:
Quarterback
Starter: Jacoby Brissett
Backups: Drake Maye, Joe Milton III (emergency third QB)
Running Back
Starter: Rhamondre Stevenson
Backups: Antonio Gibson, JaMycal Hasty
Wide Receiver
Starters: DeMario Douglas, K.J. Osborn, Tyquan Thornton
Backups: Ja’Lynn Polk, Kayshon Boutte
Tight End
Starter: Hunter Henry
Backups: Austin Hooper, Jaheim Bell
Offensive Line
Starters: Chukwuma Okorafor, Nick Leverett, David Andrews, Layden Robinson, Mike Onwenu
Backups: Michael Jordan, Vederian Lowe, Caedan Wallace
Defensive Tackle
Starters: Deatrich Wise Jr., Davon Godchaux, Daniel Ekuale
Backups: Jeremiah Pharms Jr., Trysten Hill
EDGE
Starters: Keion White, Anfernee Jennings
Backups: Joshua Uche, Oshane Ximines
Linebacker
Starters: Ja’Whaun Bentley, Jahlani Tavai
Backups: Christian Elliss, Raekwon McMillan
Cornerback
Starters: Christian Gonzalez, Jonathan Jones, Marcus Jones
Backups: Alex Austin, Marco Wilson, Marcellas Dial Jr.
Safety
Starters: Jabrill Peppers, Kyle Dugger
Backups: Jaylinn Hawkins, Dell Pettus, Brenden Schooler
Special Teams
Kicker: Joey Slye
Punter: Bryce Baringer
Long Snapper: Joe Cardona