New England Patriots running back Jonas Gray has been promoted from the practice squad and is active against the New York Jets for Thursday Night Football. Fellow running back James White is inactive, which comes as a mild surprise.
Jonas Gray is worth a look in fantasy with James White inactive
Jonas Gray has been promoted off the practice squad. We break down the fantasy implications.
Jim O’Connor-USA TODAY Sports
The team placed running back Stevan Ridley on injured reserve to open up the roster spot to give them room for Gray. While Gray hasn't seen any carries with the Patriots in his career, there's no telling what the team will do with him.
Plus, would they put him on the roster if they weren't going to use him? Running back Brandon Bolden was on the special teams unit before the Ridley injury and has been underwhelming in the lineup in his time with the Pats. Plus, Shane Vereen is not a great guy on first and second downs in rushing situations while Gray is capable of filling Ridley's role.
Fantasy impact: It might sound far-fetched, but it’s possible for Gray to go off, right? Nobody knows what the Patriots are going to do and they have mixed up their backs for much of this decade. If you need a back in a deep league and have some dead weight, it’s not a bad idea to stash him. The Patriots can score, so the upside is certainly alluring.
