A hamstring issue has led to Gillislee working on the Patriots' conditioning field for the past few days, Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald reports.
Per the report, the issue was also in play for Gillislee during OTAs. The running back is thus day-to-day as the Patriots' preseason opener approaches, which we suspect is a factor in him being listed as a third-stringer on the team's posted depth chart. When healthy, Gillislee faces backfield competition from fellow offseason acquisition Rex Burkhead, while James White and Dion Lewis are slated to handle the majority of the team's passing-down work. No matter where Gillislee ends up slotting on the team's depth chart to open the season, the Patriots' tendency to divide weekly carries in a game-plan-specific manner could lead to some sporadic production, even if he does end up absorbing the the greatest share of the short-yardage duties dominated last year by LeGarrette Blount.