hasn't started a game in nearly two years http://www.authenticsnewenglandpatriots.com/cheap-eric-rowe-jersey , a frustrating stretch that forced him to work harder and be more patient.He always felt like he would get another shot. He didn't expect it to be this week.But with Leonard Fournette missing practice because of a strained right hamstring, Yeldon is getting the majority of practice repetitions and preparing to carry the load Sunday against the New England Patriots (1-0)."Whenever my number is called, I'll always be ready to get into a rhythm and go," Yeldon said. "I really don't have a problem with that."While many outsiders believe there's a huge drop-off from Fournette to Yeldon, the Jaguars (1-0) insist there's only a marginal difference between the two. It's a big reason the old-school, run-first team kept only three running backs — Fournette, Yeldon and change-of-pace speedster Corey Grant — on the 53-man roster.Fournette tweaked his hamstring in the first half of Jacksonville's season opener at the New York Giants . He sat out practice Wednesday, and coach Doug Marrone said the plan is for him to do the same Thursday.Marrone said Fournette will go through tests Friday to see whether he's able to play in a rematch of the AFC championship game.Jacksonville is likely to be cautious with Fournette, the centerpiece of the team's offense. The fourth overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft, Fournette ran for 1,040 yards and nine touchdowns last season. He also caught 36 passes for 302 yards and a score.Fournette ran nine times for 41 yards against the Giants. Yeldon had 51 yards on 14 carries and caught three passes for 18 yards, including a 4-yard touchdown late in the second quarter.Marrone praised Yeldon for the strides he's made."He has always been good," Marrone said. "I think he is more explosive. He's stronger. He's elusive. I think he can carry a load of carries. I just think he has done a nice job. I really do."Yeldon has reason to take advantage of his opportunities. A second-round pick from Alabama in 2015 Youth Dont'a Hightower Jersey , Yeldon is in the final year of his $5.9 million rookie contract.Jacksonville is prepared to lose Yeldon in 2019 free agency, believing another team will be able to offer him a starting job or at least more carries.Yeldon said he's "not too much worried about that," adding "it'll play itself out." But he's clearly planning for the future. He dropped weight in the offseason, getting below 220 pounds for the first time since his college days, and hopes to show he's a three-down back."I feel better, lighter, quicker, faster, more explosive," he said. "I feel like it makes a big difference. I can cut better. I'm doing a lot of things better. I feel more comfortable this way."The Jaguars hope it shows on the field. With Fournette uncertain to play, Yeldon could end up in a featured role.It's a spot he didn't expect. It's also a position coaches and teammates say he can handle and prove to doubters there's not much of a dip from Fournette."That's their fault," receiver Keelan Cole said. "That's on them. If they want to think that, just tell them to tune into the game."Phillip Dorsett’s Week 1 performance showed off his progress in New England’s offense The thing about being fast is Youth Joe Thuney Jersey , when you’re fast and you happen to play wide receiver, and people figure out you’re fast, it’s tough to shake that “burner” label.And we all know what “burner” really means. A guy that does go routes and not much else. A one-trick pony, even if that trick is arguably the coolest play in football.Just look at Phillip Dorsett’s draft profile from NFL.com:And from Bleacher Report:We could go on. You get the idea. Phil’s not getting mistaken for Antonio Brown anytime soon.So on opening weekend with the Patriots receiving corps looking like they’re one player away from having to call Bill Murray to sub in, Dorsett did the only thing he could:Go forth and ball.Any Pats fan or fantasy player worth their Brady jersey already knows Dorsett’s stat line from Sunday’s W against the Texans - 7 catches on 7 targets, a tidy 9.4 yards per reception, and of course, his first trip to the end zone as a New England Patriot. That’s 101-level.It’s how Phil did it that should get anyone who just assumed he couldn’t harness the POWAH of his speed for anything but going deep more than a little excited.Hint: how many of those receptions were on go routes?Zero. Zilch. None of ‘em. A big old goose egg. Check this out:(Because I’m easily amused, please note that there are no “incomplete routes” shown. Cause Dorsett caught everything Brady threw him.)Is that a Patriots-esque set of catches, or what! You’ve got a couple slants, that out-route for the touchdown, another couple out-routes on both sides of the formation, and that one that he caught in space behind the line of scrimmage split out wide by himself. No long bombs White Jonathan Jones Jersey , just good old fashioned Tom Brady putting the ball where the defense ain’t and Dorsett doing his job.You guys like videos? I know I do! Roll it! One more for the road: check out former NFL QB Dan Orlovsky’s analysis on the little finesse moves and attention to detail went into Dorsett’s first TD in blue and silver. This is what working on your craft when nobody’s watching looks like, kids:If you’re stuck at work or in class or something, here’s what Dan is saying: Dorsett understands the route and the play well enough to know that Hogan is drawing one corner to the outside, and if he (Phil) breaks his up-and-out route to the outside too early, that corner that’s covering him can jump it and pick it every time, just like they do in Madden when you try to throw that out-route too early. Instead, Dorsett’s patient enough to sell it and let the play develop, THEN make his move to the outside with nothing but green grass to his left and, bingo bango, 6 points on the board.This is going to be the Phillip Dorsett the Patriots need to survive, and not just for the next 3 weeks, either.
