The New England Patriots find themselves in an odd position in the AFC East. With the Buffalo Bills being one of the best teams in the league, while the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets acquiring a ton of talent to their rosters, New England must find a way to remain competitive within the division. One way to do that is to have some unsuspecting stars arise to lead this team to a possible playoff appearance. We take a look at three potential breakout players for the Patriots in the 2022 season.

As usual, this team will have a stellar defense on the field. For that reason, the potential breakout players for the Patriots are likely to be on the offensive side of the ball. The front office didn't acquire exciting talent, but New England has the pieces to at least be competitive. If the offense can improve from last year, then this team can be a problem moving forward.

Throughout this offseason, the Patriots acquired a plethora of running backs to the roster. One of them is bound to stand out from the rest of the crowd and make some noise for New England this season. Additionally, we may finally see a star blossom within the wide receiver room. However, for anything to come to fruition, New England needs Mac Jones to take the next step in his development.

With that said, here are three potential breakout players for the Patriots in the 2022 season.

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Patriots Breakout Players For The 2022 NFL Season

3. Rhamondre Stevenson

After flashing potential throughout his rookie year, Rhamondre Stevenson is on the path to becoming a star running back for the Patriots. It's unfortunate he's in a timeshare with Damian Harris and the 1,000 other running backs on the roster (just a slight exaggeration). Even so, he'll have plenty of opportunities to separate himself from the rest of the backfield.

Stevenson utilizes power whenever he rushes the ball, which bodes well for his chances. Although the Patriots tend to use multiple running backs in their scheme, we've seen power runners excel in New England before. Look for Rhamondre Stevenson to make some noise in the 2022 season, as he could be the X-Factor that pushes New England into the playoff race.

2. Jakobi Meyers

Everything about Jakobi Meyers is interesting. He's been a solid pass option for the Patriots the last two years but has struggled to find the end zone. That's literally the only aspect of his stat line that is below average. Meyers is likely the top pass option outside of Hunter Henry this year and we've seen wide receivers dominate in New England before.

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He fits the mold to take over Julian Edelman's role. Jakobi Meyers is a great slot receiver who can be a consistent target for Mac Jones. We'll see how the upcoming season plays out, but all eyes should be on Meyers right now. If he can put everything together and score more touchdowns, then he can surely help the Patriots make a playoff push late in the year.

1. Mac jones

After having a decent rookie campaign, Mac Jones aims to develop his game to become a more consistent quarterback for New England. He fits the Patriots' scheme perfectly and has the ability to read opposing defenses well. With a year of experience under his belt and another full training camp, Jones should be able to take the much-needed step in his development.

If he can do that, then the Patriots will be competitive in the 2022 season. You can never rule this team out as long as Bill Belichick is still the head coach, but having a competent quarterback doesn't hurt either. Keep an eye on Mac Jones, as his performance is detrimental to New England's playoff hopes this year.