Aaron Dobson Surpassing Kenbrell Thompkins on the Depth Chart

Jim Rogash/Getty Images

Here's an interesting development from yesterday's game, courtesy of ESPN Boston's Mike Reiss. Rookie receiver Aaron Dobson played 50 of the teams 65 offensive snaps, primarily as the "X" receiver, while fellow rookie Kenbrell Thompkins had a season low 14 snaps.

It's a shocking turn of events for the Thompkins, who was the hero merely two weeks ago after snagging a game winning touchdown with five seconds left against the Saints. However, Thompkins followed the performance up with a very quiet 2 catches for 16 yards against the Jets, despite being on the field for 73 of 79 snaps.

Dobson rewarded the team's faith in him by pulling in four catches for 60 yards and a touchdown Sunday. The touchdown was a thing of beauty, as Tom Brady floated a perfect pass to Dobson after the rookie's impressive double move got him a step behind cornerback Nolan Carroll.

Given how unpredictable the Patriots have been this season, it's hard to project if this trend will continue for the rest of the season. However, the 14 snaps for Thompkins certainly illustrate that playing time is getting harder to come by as the Patriots start getting their playmakers back healthy. With Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski both working their way back up to full speed, the opportunities to stay on the field figure to lessen over the coming weeks. It's very possible, given that both rookies are a better fit as the outside "X" receiver, that Dobson and Thompkins are battling each other for one complimentary role in the offense. It's certainly something to keep an eye on when the Patriots take on the Steelers next week.