Patriots vs Texans: 3 Players to Watch

Here are three New England Patriots players to watch in their Week 6 matchup with the Houston Texans.

August 8, 2024; Foxborough, MA, USA; New England Patriots running back Terrell Jennings (29) runs the ball against the Carolina Panthers during the second half at Gillette Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

The New England Patriots will begin the Drake Maye era on Sunday, as Maye will get his first NFL start against the Houston Texans.

While the spotlight will obviously be on Maye, it isn't all about the rookie quarterback. There are other Patriots players to monitor in this contest, and for varying reasons.

Here are three New England players to watch in Week 6.

Terrell Jennings, RB

With Rhamondre Stevenson sidelined, Terrell Jennings was called up from the practice squad and could see his first NFL regular-season action.

An undrafted free agent out of Florida A&M, Jennings impressed the Pats enough in training camp and preseason to stick around.

The 23-year-old rattled off 1,860 yards and 24 touchdowns in the ground in 44 games throughout his collegiate career and became known for his elusivity.

The Patriots are in desperate need of weapons, so Jennings may have a pretty significant opportunity on front of him versus the Texans.

Marte Mapu, S

Marte Mapu earned his first career start last week and made notable contributions, logging seven tackles, a forced fumble and a pass defended.

With Jabrill Peppers' status now in question going forward due to legal issues, New England may ultimately lean on Mapu for the rest of 2024.

The Pats selected Mapu in the third round of the 2023 NFL Draft, so obviously, they liked what they saw from the Sacramento State product.

The Patriots are dealing with some injury issues at the safety position, as well (Kyle Dugger is banged up), so that makes Mapu all the more important in Week 6.

We'll see if the young defensive back can deliver another strong performance and potentially become a permanent member of the rotation.

Kendrick Bourne, WR

Kendrick Bourne made his long-awaited return from a torn ACL last week, logging one catch for six yards on just one target.

New England may ramp up Bourne's playing time on Sunday and in the weeks to come, not just for the sake of the offense, but also to build Bourne's trade value.

The 29-year-old is one of the Pats' prime candidates to be moved before the Nov. 5 deadline, and rival teams will surely want to see Bourne produce before surrendering assets for him.

Bourne was on pace for a nice season in 2023, as he caught 37 passes for 406 yards and four touchdowns in eight games before going down with the knee injury.

We'll see if the Patriots utilize Bourne a bit more this week.

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