Bolden was on the field for just five of the Patriots' snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Bills, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports. In the process, he carried once for one yard and caught one pass for two yards.

While Bolden provides the Patriots with RB depth and is a valuable special-teamer, he's behind both Dion Lewis and LeGarrette Blount in the team's backfield pecking order.

Bolden gained one yard on five carries and 12 yards on one reception in Thursday's 28-21 win over the Steelers.

According to Nathan Jahnke of Pro Football Focus, Dion Lewis played 45 offensive snaps, compared to just 14 for Bolden and one for James White. Lewis did fumble inside the Pittsburgh five-yard line, but he also gained 120 scrimmage yards on 19 touches, and his miscue didn't lead to a benching. There was some thought that Bolden could get most of the early-down work, but that obviously didn't come to fruition. With LeGarrette Blount set to return from his suspension for Week 2 against the Bills, Bolden doesn't figure to have much of a role in the offense.

Following Jonas Gray's release, Bolden is the favorite to start against the Steelers in Week 1, the Mark Daniels of the Providence Journal reports.

With LeGarrette Blount suspended for the first game of the season, Bolden will be the only power back on New England's roster, joined by a trio of shiftier runners in James White, Dion Lewis and Travaris Cadet. It's hard to say how the touches will be divided, but with the Patriots facing a shorthanded Pittsburgh team that will likely struggle on defense all season, this could be a big game for the early-down runner.

Bolden had five carries for 12 yards in Friday's preseason game against the Panthers.

Per Mike Reiss of ESPN, Bolden saw 19 first-half snaps against Carolina on Friday, but that's not to say there's sudden clarity with regard to the team's plans with regard to filling the void created by Shane Vereen's free-agent departure. Reiss notes that James White remains a top candidate to help fill the void, while Dion Lewis is also making a case for third-down snaps. In any case, the combo of Bolden's versatility and special teams ability appear to be enough for him to retain his roster spot.

Bolden was among the Patriots' players who didn't suit up for Thursday's preseason opener against the Packers, ESPN.com reports.

The same applies to fellow candidate for third-down work Travaris Cadet, which allowed James White to see added touches on that front Thursday, which resulted in eight carries for 12 yards and four catches for 52 yards. It's unclear if Bolden's absence Thursday was injury-related, but assuming no major issues in that regard, he is a candidate secure a more prominent role in the Patriots' offense in the wake of the departure of pass-catching/third-down back Shane Vereen.

As the Patriots look to fill the void created by the departure of pass-catching/third-down back Shane Vereen, Bolden appears for now to have emerged as favorite to secure the more prominent role in the team's offense on that front, the Boston Herald reports.

While second-year back James White is also firmly in the conversation, and Travaris Cadet could also factor in, the report notes that Bolden -- who inked a two-year, $2.32-million contract extension in January -- "has been the most prominent player in that role in recent practices." Of course, with LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray on hand to handle early-down work, whoever ends up absorbing the greatest share of Vereen's former assignment would be more likely to carve out significant fantasy utility in PPR formats than in standard leagues.

ESPN.com's Mike Reiss considers Bolden a lock to make the Patriots' 53-man roster this season.

The report also suggests that "big backs" LeGarrette Blount and Jonas Gray are in that category as well, with James White, Travaris Cadet, Dion Lewis and Tyler Gaffney jostling for depth slotting in the Patriots' backfield. It's Bolden's ability as a special-teamer that will probably secure him a roster spot, however, and it would take an injury or two for the versatile 25-year-old back -- who carried 28 times for 89 yards and a TD last season -- to make much of a fantasy splash in 2015.

Bolden signed a two-year, $2.32 million extension with the Patriots on Friday, ESPN's Field Yates reports.

Bolden's role in the running game decreased this season, but as one of the key members of the Patriots' special teams units, there was plenty incentive for the team to retain him. Keeping Bolden in the fold also affords the Patriots some insurance in the backfield for the next two seasons, as Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are set to become free agents this summer.

Bolden carried five times for 32 yards in Sunday's 17-16 win over the Jets.

With LeGarrette Blount out, Bolden saw some added work Sunday after not logging a snap in Week 15, but with Shane Vereen and Jonas Gray also in the team's backfield mix, Bolden's fantasy upside is capped as long as the Patriots have something to play for next weekend.

Bolden did not log a snap on offense in Sunday's win over the Dolphins, ESPN.com reports.

At this stage, it figures to take an injury to either Shane Vereen, Jonas Gray or LeGarrette Blount to occur in order for Bolden to be much of a factor in the Patriots' offense.

Bolden logged just one snap on offense in Sunday's win over the Chargers, ESPN's Mike Reiss reports.

After scoring his first TD of the season in Week 13, Bolden took a back seat to both Shane Vereen (34 snaps) and LeGarrette Blount (30 snaps) on Sunday. That's not likely to change as long as the aforementioned duo remains healthy and the Patriots have something to play for.

Bolden had three carries for 17 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 26-21 loss at Green Bay. According to ESPN's Mike Reiss, Bolden was third among Patriots' running backs with eight unofficial snaps.

Bolden made the most of his limited time on the field, ripping off a 12-yard run in the first half, while also scoring a six-yard touchdown early in the second quarter. It was the first time Bolden carried the ball since Oct. 12. Meanwhile, LeGarrette Blount led the team with 10 carries for 58 yards and Jonas Gray had just one rush for four yards. It appears as though Bolden has passed Gray on the depth chart, but trying to predict what the Patriots will do in their backfield on any given week is a fool's errand. Therefore, it wouldn't be prudent to rush to the waiver wire to grab Bolden, unless your league is deep and/or you're desperate at the RB position. In any event, Bolden and the Patriots will play at San Diego in Week 14.

Bolden did not see any snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Bears, ESPN.com reports.

Bolden did see work on special teams Sunday, but in the absence of Stevan Ridley, the Patriots have turned to Jonas Gray rather than Bolden as their preferred option to handle the heavy lifting in the New England backfield in tandem with Shane Vereen.

Bolden had one reception for four yards in Thursday's 27-25 win over the Jets.

Bolden played fewer snaps than Jonas Gray, who finished with three carries for 12 yards. Both backs were merely in the game's periphery, while Shane Vereen played a starring role with 114 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns on 16 touches. It won't be surprising if Gray and/or Bolden are a bit more involved next week against the Bears, but Vereen will likely again get most of the touches. In addition to his typical work in passing formations, Vereen got all of the touches near the goal line Thursday night, and was also used to kill the clock on the Patriots' final drive.

With Stevan Ridley out for the season and James White inactive, Bolden is in line to work in tandem with Shane Vereen and Jonas Gray in the Patriots' backfield Thursday night against the Jets.

A committee approach Thursday is a plausible outcome, with Jeff Howe of the Boston Herald suggesting the team may be inclined to ride the hot hand, should one emerge. The 5-11, 220-pound Bolden figures to see his share of early-down work Thursday, but Vereen (in addition to his pass-catching role) and the 5-10, 230-pound Gray could factor in as well, making either of the trio a speculative play in Week 7.

With Stevan Ridley out for the season, Bolden figures to see added opportunities in the Patriots' offense in the coming weeks.

With Ridley no longer in the mix, ESPN's Mike Reiss suggests that the Patriots figure to employ a combo of Shane Vereen, James White and Bolden, beginning Thursday against the Jets. At 5-11, 220 pounds, Bolden, a key special-teamer, is the biggest back of the bunch, thus making him a candidate to absorb some of the heavy lifting in the team's backfield, but with a committee approach very plausible, he's not necessarily a plug-and-play fantasy option. Bolden is, nonetheless, worth a speculative pickup to see how this situation plays out.

Bolden carried six times for 10 yards in Sunday's 37-22 win over the Bills.

Bolden's numbers Sunday weren't eye-popping, but if teammate Stevan Ridley is forced to miss time due to his knee injury, Bolden could see added opportunities in the Patriots' offense in the coming weeks, along with Shane Vereen and James White.

Bolden was on the field for 2-of-84 snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Bengals.

Bolden ran just once for three yards in the game and remains decidedly behind both Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen on the Patriots' RB depth chart.

Bolden was on the field for 7-of-73 snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Raiders, ESPN.com reports.

Bolden's main contributions of late have come on special teams, as he's clearly behind both Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in the Patriots' RB pecking order.

Bolden was on the field for 10-of-67 snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Vikings, ESPN.com reports.

Bolden -- who had four carries for zero yards in the game -- is clearly behind both Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen in the Patriots' running back pecking order, a reality that puts him an injury (to one of the team's top two backs) away from fantasy consideration.