The New England Patriots have a loaded backfield coming into the 2019 season. The backfield includes Sony Michel, Rex Burkhead, Damien Harris, and of course James White.
Recently, ESPN released its projections for what they expect White to do in the upcoming season. According to their projections, White will carry the ball 56 times for 247 yards and rush for two touchdowns.
His receiving projections are impressive, with him projected to get 79 receptions for 711 yards and four scores. As expected, White's projections on the ground went down from last season with Michel taking the bulk of the carries in the running game.
White does his damage in the passing game, so he'll be expected to play a vital role as a receiver once again. Last season, White caught 87 passes for 751 yards and seven touchdowns.
The only reasons why White's numbers could go down in 2019 is Burkhead and Harris could also vulture some touches. The Patriots love to keep their guys fresh and will utilize all of their backs in doing so.
As it currently stands, Michel will be the starter, White will be the receiving back, Burkhead will get touches when guys need rest, and Harris will get touches every now and then. Harris is a rookie so it's unlikely that he plays a crucial role from the start.
Injuries could shake up the backfield but that's why New England likes having a deep backfield. In 2018, the Patriots had injuries to Jeremy Hill, Michel, and Burkhead but still won the Super Bowl.
White has been a focal point of the Patriots offense for the past couple of seasons and figures to play a similar role in 2019.
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