With Rex Burkhead (knee) out Sunday against the Bills, Gillislee is on track to re-enter the Patriots' backfield mix in Week 16, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.
There's always an element of risk in rolling with a player who has not played for some time, in Gillislee's case since Oct. 29, but other than the running back feeling under the weather in Week 14, he's been a healthy scratch since then so he'll bring fresh legs to the table in Week 16. All four of Gillislee's TDs this season arrived in the Patriots' first two games, but it's not hard to imagine him seeing some goal-line opportunities in his anticipated return to action Sunday against his former team. Gillislee is thus in line to work in tandem with Dion Lewis, who has emerged as the team's lead back, as well as change-of-pace option James White (ankle), health-permitting.