FOXBOROUGH -- Mike Gillislee was brought in to be the Patriots' starting running back just a year ago.

Today, he's not guaranteed to make the roster.

It's not an uncommon story in the NFL; running back is an unpredictable position, and success can be fleeting. Injuries hit. Teams plan to use a committee approach in the backfield, but sometimes a single player emerges from the group.

And in 2017, Gillislee's limited role -- he carried the ball six times in the final 11 games -- was more about Dion Lewis' emergence than anything else.

"I wouldn't say (I was) disappointed," Gillislee said at last week's minicamp. "I just didn't do as good as I thought I would."

Gillislee's grip on the No. 1 running back job began to slip in Week 6 against the Jets. He fumbled at New York's 22-yard line near the end of the first quarter, which resulted in an extended stay on the sideline. With Gillislee out, Lewis took over as the lead back and looked terrific. He went on to post career numbers, leading the NFL in rushing over the final eight weeks of the regular season.

Lewis is gone, and Gillislee now faces competition from others. The team drafted Sony Michel in the first round. Rex Burkhead re-signed on a three-year deal. James White remains in the mix as a passing-downs player. And the Pats signed the 235-pound Jeremy Hill to an affordable one-year contract.

The situation isn't difficult to read: Michel, Burkhead, and White are locked in as contributors in the backfield. That leaves Gillislee and Hill battling for one spot.

Both players received special teams work during last week's minicamp.

Gillislee's standing on the roster will be decided in training camp, but he feels he's in solid position for two reasons: He's healthy (whereas last year he dealt with a hamstring injury that lingered into the summer) and he's advancing in the passing game.

"At home I work on it, (in the) offseason I work on it," Gillislee said. "And it's showing."

It's true: Gillislee looked more natural as a receiver during minicamp than he did at any point in 2017 training camp.

After playing this past fall at 212 pounds, Gillislee now checks in at 216. The added weight is the result of his full participation, Gillislee said. A year ago, the hamstring injury limited his ability to take part in certain workouts.

"I feel a lot better," Gillislee said.

The extra muscle should help Gillislee challenge for the short-yardage role.

It's a job the Patriots envisioned for him a year ago.

"Mike's my biggest back, he's my strongest runner, so I'm going to give him a shot at it first," Pats running backs coach Ivan Fears said in November. "If someone has a chance to run through (a defender) and make a play, he's got a chance to do it."

Gillislee, who averaged 5.7 yards per carry on 148 rushing attempts in 2015 and 2016, saw his average decrease by two full yards this past season.

"I'm not making any excuses," Gillislee said. "I'm just focused on now and I'm healthy and getting better."