Who Should I Start? Nick Westbrook-Ikhine or Kayshon Boutte

Friday, July 31, 6:38 AM

New England Patriots fourth-year wide receiver Kayshon Boutte was the subject of trade speculation throughout the offseason, but he continues to stack plays in the early days of training camp, and The Athletic's Chad Graff is the latest media member to point him out as the team's best offensive player to this point. Graff includes Boutte on his initial 53-man roster projection, putting him in over 2025 third-round pick Kyle Williams. Once viewed as a potential first-round pick, injuries and off-field concerns saw Boutte fall to the sixth round of the 2023 NFL Draft, and now in the final year of his rookie deal, the desire to be featured in a primary role would be understandable from the player's perspective. Instead, Boutte has quietly gone about his business, making highlight-worthy catches whenever his number has been called. Receiver has become the deepest position on the Patriots' roster, as evidenced by Graff's exclusion of Williams from his initial roster projection, so trade rumors could resurface as camp injuries continue to pop up around the league. But after being viewed as a fantasy afterthought for much of the offseason, Boutte is back in the conversation as a potential contributor, particularly as a big-play threat in best ball formats.