NEW ORLEANS — With an increasingly dire situation at wide receiver, the Patriots had no choice but to heap more responsibility upon their deep cast of running backs during Sunday’s 36-20 victory against the Saints.

The Patriots improved dramatically in that regard from the season-opening loss to the Chiefs when the backs combined for four catches and 38 yards.

In New Orleans, James White, Rex Burkhead, Dion Lewis and James Develin totaled 13 receptions for 143 yards and a touchdown. They were also impressive with the ball in their grasp, racking up 99 yards after the catch.

Over the offseason, the Pats invested as heavily as ever in their backfield, and had to get their money’s worth with Julian Edelman (torn ACL) and Malcolm Mitchell (knee) on injured reserve and Danny Amendola (concussion, knee) home in Foxboro. Chris Hogan and Phillip Dorsett were also hobbled throughout the Patriots’ first victory of the season.

Offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels did an admirable job to get the ball to White and Burkhead, who were the primary targets on eight of their catches (118 yards), including four screen passes that covered 50 yards. The group’s other five receptions were essentially check downs, either on quick hitches out wide (four for 26 yards) and a dump-off to White for 2 yards.

“It just depends how defenses try to match up with us,” White said.

McDaniels’ best work resulted in Burkhead’s 19-yard touchdown. Develin lined up wide right, which is a commonly designed formation to alert Tom Brady to man or zone coverage. With a linebacker following Develin to the perimeter, it was an easily identifiable man-coverage defense. Burkhead was in the right slot and Rob Gronkowski was tight right, with each drawing a linebacker, and a single-high safety also spied their side.

By using common sense, Brady knew the safety would double Gronk and leave the deep part of the field open for Burkhead, who got a good release at the line and coasted past his assignment for an easy touchdown on a fade route.

Burkhead has shown to be a quick study and capable threat in the passing game, so the Patriots are comfortable using him as the primary target several times per game. It’s an easy way to win a matchup against a defense’s second or third best linebacker.

There were some solid moments for White as well. The Super Bowl record-setter had a team-high eight catches for 85 yards, including 71 after the catch, and he was clutch again. He lined up in a stacked formation behind Brandin Cooks on third-and-5 on the opening drive, and that allowed him to get a little extra space off the snap. White’s crisp in-and-out route against Vonn Bell yielded a 12-yard connection.

Another intriguing design led to a 24-yard gain in the fourth quarter. White lined up in the backfield to Brady’s right in a shotgun formation, and Lewis motioned into the backfield for a play fake from Brady, which froze two linebackers and isolated White with a linebacker on a wheel route in the right seam. White easily won the race for the big gain.

The creativity can be fascinating, but White’s performance under pressure will keep Brady upright. Brady quickly diagnosed a first-quarter blitz from the left side, where White was lined up in the slot, so he had more space to work against a high safety. White’s out route was almost certainly an adjustment because of the blitz.

Add it to the list of reasons why Brady adores him.

“I’ve played with a lot of great teammates, and James is right there at the top,” Brady said. “I just love his effort. I love his style.”

The Patriots added a wrinkle, too, selling a fake screen pass to Dorsett, who lined up in the backfield, before Hogan slipped out of his block to catch a 27-yard pass. That will keep defenses a bit more honest, and it’ll be even more important Sunday against the Texans, whose bona-fide NFL defense will pose far more of a challenge than the Saints’ ragtag group.

McDaniels is a master at manipulating his strengths to attack opposing weaknesses, but it’s now just as important for him to utilize his depth to counter their own shortcomings until the wide receivers return to health. The offense is at its best when Brady’s five skill position players are all part of his trust tree, and the quarterback clearly believes in his entire backfield.

The backs’ contributions were a promising development. For the foreseeable future, the Patriots need it to become a trend.