Henderson Out as Patriots Host Packers

TreVeyon Henderson is out for the Patriots' Week 9 home game against the Green Bay Packers after an illness that included unexplained neurological symptoms and a hospital stay, per Friday's injury report and team analysis. Wide receiver A.J. Brown (ankle/knee) is also out for a second straight week. Tight end Hunter Henry (foot) is questionable after a limited Friday following DNPs Wednesday and Thursday.

New England hosts Green Bay at Gillette Stadium on Sunday at 4:25 p.m. ET on FOX. Packers edge Micah Parsons remains out for Week 9 while his 21-day PUP window continues, so both sides are missing a featured piece when the ball is kicked.

Illness Sidelines the Lead Back

Henderson's designation is firm: out. The Patriots listed the illness and neurological symptoms on the Friday report after the hospital evaluation made the rounds earlier in the week. That removes the back who had been carrying a growing share of New England's early-down and receiving work.

Brown missing again leaves the outside receiver room thinner for a second straight Sunday. Henry's questionable tag is the one live contingency on offense: limited Friday after two DNPs, so the final call comes closer to kickoff.

Stevenson Carries, Henry Contingency

With Henderson ruled out, Rhamondre Stevenson becomes the clear lead back for early downs and goal-line looks. That is not a guess. It is the depth chart when the other featured runner is inactive. Green Bay's front still has to be blocked, but the usage signal points one way.

Henry's foot will decide whether New England has its primary tight end available. If he sits, the red-zone and intermediate targets shift again on top of Brown already being gone.

Gillette Without Two Skill Pieces

Packers at Patriots without Parsons on one side and without Henderson and Brown on the other is a different Week 9 than the one both teams drew up in August. New England still has home field and Stevenson. Green Bay still has its offense. The missing names just force cleaner answers in the first 15 scripts.

Stevenson has been the safer early-down answer whenever Henderson has been limited, and Sunday is the full version of that plan with Henderson inactive from the jump.

Smacktok pick lean: Lean higher on Rhamondre Stevenson rush with Henderson already ruled out. Lean Hunter Henry receptions IF he is active; if Henry is ruled out or a late scratch, do not force the tight end play.

Henderson out, Brown out, Henry questionable, Gillette on Sunday. That is the Patriots' Week 9 board.