Gillislee (hamstring) isn't expected to play in Saturday's preseason game against the Texans, Mike Reiss of ESPN reports.
Gillislee stayed in New England when the team joined Houston for joint practices this week, so his absence from the contest shouldn't surprise many. He's been dealing with a hamstring injury for a couple weeks now, with no clear indication of when he will be ready for game action. While he's still a strong candidate to see early-down work for the Patriots this season, his continued absence opens the door for his backfield mates to improve their standing. Per Reiss, Rex Burkhead is expected to receive early reps in his place Saturday.