The New England Patriots have pushed firmly in the right direction after grabbing back-to-back wins in the last two weeks, but a marquee matchup lies ahead in Week 6 against the upstart Kansas City Chiefs.

However, it appears that the Patriots could possibly be without a couple of their key players on the offensive side of the ball with rookie running back Sony Michel and wide receiver Chris Hogan for Sunday's tilt, according to Ben Volin of The Boston Globe.

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Michel has stepped up in a bigger role offensively over the last couple of weeks being the primary option in the running game posting 210 rushing yards and a pair of touchdowns over that span. This has seen him show big-play ability while proving he could possibly be their long-term solution as the workhorse running back that has brought much balance to the offense.

There has been much concern about the possibility of him missing the game, which makes this more than likely the team taking the precautionary approach with the knee injury to keep him in line to play against the Chiefs. If Michel were to play, he could be in line for a strong outing due to Kansas City's struggles facing the run ranking 24th in the league giving up 118.8 yards per game and six total rushing touchdowns. The Patriots could turn to James White to draw the start if Michel is unable to play.

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Hogan has been a reliable factor in the passing game throughout his first three years with the Patriots that quarterback Tom Brady has leaned upon. He has played a bigger role in the offense with Julian Edelman out of the mix due to injury and suspension over the last two seasons. However, he should assume a smaller role with Edelman back in the mix with his first game last Thursday against the Indianapolis Colts after serving a four-game suspension for violating the performance-enhancing drugs policy.

If Hogan can't give it a go this week, it would test the depth of the wide receiver position but the team has more than feasible options with Edelman and Josh Gordon while Pro Bowl tight end Rob Gronkowski could become more involved.