James White has carved out a role on a distressed New England Patriots offense. The fourth-year rusher has only carried the ball 18 times for 73 yards, but he has 22 receptions out of the backfield for 173 yards through the first four games of the season. White currently has the most receptions on the Patriots at 22 and is tied for second for the most targets along with Chris Hogan at 26.

Thursday night the Patriots are going to need White to step up big in the passing game. Their running game is shot and deep balls have been hard to come by for QB Tom Brady, which only leaves the middle of the field as the best shot to gain yards. Also, Tampa Bay is playing lights out against the run and deep ball, but recent injuries leave them vulnerable in the middle.

Fantasy impact: White is only averaging 4.7 yards per catch, which not very impressive. However, short passes are the offense the Patriots have right now and that is why owners should not overlook White. The Buccaneers are likely going to keep the running game and deep passes in check Thursday as well. It might not be pretty but White is a good flex option especially in PPR leagues.

Recommendation: Flex Start