Sony Michel

Michel's had an up-and-down NFL career up to this point and it's unlikely that we see him rise back up to fantasy relevance any time soon. With Newton taking away a ton of rushing opportunities, plus Harris' assumed role on top of this depth chart, Michel's battling for a backup role on this team. There's virtually no upside to drafting Michel, so it's probably best to let someone else deal with the headache of rostering him this season.

Sony Michel: Patriots expected to decline the fifth-year option

Ian Rapoport of the NFL Network is reporting that the Patriots are expected to decline the fifth-year option for RB Sony Michel.

Fantasy Impact

Michel would have been guaranteed $4.523 million if his fifth-year option was exercised. The Patriots currently have Damien Harris, James White, Brandon Bolden, JJ Taylor, and rookie Rhamondre Stevenson on the running back depth chart. The 26-year-old RB logged 79 carries for 449 rushing yards and one touchdown while also hauling in seven receptions for receiving 114 yards and one touchdown across nine games for the Patriots in 2020. Michel has a lengthy injury history and missed six games last season due to a quad issue. With the emergence of RB Damien Harris (5.0 YPC) and plenty of other options to turn to in the backfield, the Patriots could move on from Michel altogether.