New England Patriots Running Back Expected to Miss TNF

The New England Patriots will be without one of their key ball carriers when they face the Buffalo Bills on Thursday Night Football. NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports running back Damien Harris is expected to miss the crucial Week 13 AFC East clash.

#Patriots RB Damien Harris, who is dealing with a thigh injury, is not expected to play this Thursday, source said. He's considered week-to-week going forward, an indication he'll miss some time.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 29, 2022

Harris played 11 snaps for the Patriots in their Week 12 33-30 Thanksgiving loss to the Minnesota Vikings, notching five carries for 16 yards. He has started eight of his nine appearances this year, tallying 84 carries for 383 yards.

Harris' nagging injuries this season have opened the door for the emergence of second-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson, and that figures to continue so long as Harris remains absent. Stevenson has totalled 259 yards from scrimmage in his three starts this season while totalling 1039 yards from scrimmage on the year. He'll likely see an increased role so long as Harris is unavailable.

Harris joined the Patriots as their 87th overall pick in the 2019 NFL Draft. He saw limited action as a rookie before emerging as an explosive, hard-hitting runner in his second year, averaging an excellent 5.0 yards per attempt on 691 rushing yards. He has totalled 2015 rushing yards and an impressive 20 touchdowns in his 36 appearances with the team.