As the New England Patriots enjoy their much-needed and well-deserved bye week, they will certainly take stock into their performance through their first 13 games of the 2025 NFL season.

In addition to becoming the first team in the NFL to reach 11 wins, the Pats are also back atop the conference standings — putting pressure on their competition, while staking their claim as the sole owner of the top spot in the AFC. Though the Pats are undoubtedly pleased with their effort in all three phases — from the coaching prowess of Mike Vrabel to the on-field performance of quarterback Drake Maye — the Patriots must continue to put out maximum effort through the season’s four remaining games.

Though many of New England’s notables are expected to garner some attention during this final stretch, here are five players that might raise an eyebrow when the Pats make their return to the field.

Rhamondre Stevenson

With the colder temperatures returning to the region, the importance of a strong and deep rushing attack will be vital for the continued success of Maye and the offense. Having Stevenson healthy and capable of shouldering an extensive workload may be exactly what the metaphorical doctor ordered. Known for his penchant for establishing the run to facilitate play-action passes, Stevenson is well-equipped to be an effective offensive weapon in the season’s closing games.

Having placed his early-season struggles with ball security behind him, the 27-year-old is at his best when blending his physical, powerful running style with his vision and athleticism to make tacklers miss in short-yardage situational runs. He also continues to demonstrate an ability to utilize the open field as an available target from both the backfield as well as the line of scrimmage. The Oklahoma product must build upon his 101 carries for 324 yards and three touchdowns to make New England’s running game a key component of their offensive game plan on offense.

Andres Borregales

While there is still much work to be done before the Pats’ rookie is revered among former franchise greats at the position, Borregales has delivered a solid performance in his first season as a pro. Through 13 games, the native Venezuelan has connected on 23 of his 126 field goal attempts, while making 38 of 36 extra points.

Borregales, whom the Patriots selected at pick No. 182 in the sixth round of the 2025 NFL Draft, has the skill set to become a fan favorite in short order. After narrowly winning a fierce training camp battle with veteran John Parker Romo, he drew the ire of his critics by missing a Week 1 field goal attempt against the Las Vegas Raiders, as well as a pair of extra point attempts in Week 2 versus the Miami Dolphins. Still, Borregales stayed the course. As a result, he has since delivered on several key kicks, including a game-winning 52-yard field goal with 15 seconds remaining to give the Pats a Week 5 victory over the Buffalo Bills. With winter weather starting to arrive in the northeast, Borregales will be called upon to earn points in crucial situations — especially in the playoffs.

Kyle Williams

Since being selected by the Pats with pick 69 in the third round of the 2025 NFL Draft, the Washington State product has been widely praised for his speed, athleticism and explosive play-making ability on the football field. He was projected to provide the Pats’ offense with a big-play threat who is capable of stretching the field — seemingly everything for which the Patriots have repeatedly been clamoring.

Yet, through 13 games in the regular season, Williams has largely been statistically quiet — compiling 143 yards on five catches and two touchdowns. Still, the 22-year-old has opened some eyes as of late. Williams connected with Maye on a 72-yard touchdown against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 10. He once again found himself on the receiving end of a Maye scoring strike — this time for 33 yards in Week 13 against the Giants.

Williams’ stats demonstrate only a portion of his potential. Perhaps best known for his speed and ability to separate from his defender, he is also an adept route-runner. As such, he possesses the skill to start-and-stop at the beginning of his stride to make defensive backs and coverage linebackers miss in all areas of the field. At his best, Williams is quite capable of turning a short-spaced route into a high-yardage touchdown. Should he be able to harness his abilities in the home stretch of 2025, he could add a new dimension to New England’s offense heading into the playoffs.

Vederian Lowe

With starting left tackle Will Campbell on injured reserve until Week 18 at the earliest, interim left tackle Vederian Lowe stepped up. The veteran lineman’s size (6-foot-5, 315 pounds) and experience — having played 803 snaps at left tackle last season and 1,113 career snaps at the position in total — were crucial in helping to stabilize the line, while protecting Maye’s blind side. In 38 pass-blocking snaps against the Giants last week, Lowe yielded zero sacks and zero hits, while allowing only three hurries and three pressures. In fact, Maye was pressured on only nine of his 26 dropbacks — a testament to Lowe’s abilities.

Still, Lowe’s previous struggles in a Patriots uniform have led some to wonder whether the type of success he enjoyed in Week 13 is sustainable. While some of the blame for his previous performance issues can be attributed to insufficient coaching and supporting personnel, Lowe’s doubts will continue to linger until he proves that his level of play can continue across multiple weeks. Fortunately for the Patriots, his recent showings indicate that he is likely up to the challenge.

K’Lavon Chaisson

Facing the prospect of entering unrestricted free agency at season’s end, Chaisson has been among the Patriots’ most productive defenders through the first 13 games of the season. The LSU product has compiled 22 total tackles, 15 quarterback hits, 6.5 sacks and one forced fumble.

Known for his zealous approach to pressuring the quarterback, Chaisson has exuded both the confidence and on-field prowess to help the team’s pass rush put the opposition on its heels more often than not in any given game. Unsurprisingly, he was named AFC Defensive Player of the Week by the NFL for his performance in the Pats’ 31-13 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Oct. 19. Chaisson registered his first career two-sack game against Tennessee and scored his first career touchdown when he returned a fumble four yards for a touchdown.

Should Chaisson continue to perform at a high level, he will not only help the Pats to maintain their momentum heading into the postseason, he will also elevate his impending free-agency stock for this offseason.