New England Patriots Week 1 Stock Report

One man's misstep is another man's chance to step up. One man's shortcoming in capitalizing on an opportunity is another man's second chance to make a first impression.

That pretty much encapsulates life in the NFL, but particularly for the New England Patriots as the team gets ready to open the 2015 regular season on Thursday night.

Some of the Patriots' training-camp battles were decided well before camp opened, but others took a few twists and turns along the way before finally getting settled. As a result, some players' stocks have increased, while others have taken a hit as the season approaches.

Here's a look at a handful of Patriots players who fall on either end of the spectrum. 

Stock Up: Brandon Bolden

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After the release of Jonas Gray, Brandon Bolden (38) looks poised to be the Patriots' No. 1 back in Week 1.

Brandon Bolden finished the 2014 season with 28 carries, 89 yards and a touchdown. He may finish the Patriots' first game of the season with better stats.

The Patriots surprisingly released running back Jonas Gray at their cutdown to 53 players. That makes Bolden and LeGarrette Blount the only true between-the-tackles first- and second-down options. Blount was the Patriots' leading back to close out the 2014 season, but he is suspended for the first game of the 2015 season. 

Bolden has only finished three games with more than 10 carries, but in those games, he carried the ball 43 total times for 249 yards (5.8 yards per carry) and three touchdowns. He scored a touchdown in each of those three games. He wasn't even the starter in any of them.

This could be Bolden's first true chance to prove himself as the No. 1 back. 

Stock Down: LeGarrette Blount

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LeGarrette Blount could still be the Patriots' No. 1 back in 2015, but he'll have to wait at least one week to get that opportunity.

He is suspended for the first game of the season for violating the league's substance-abuse policy. That means Brandon Bolden will get the first crack at being the Patriots' top running back. 

Make no mistake: This is not a death knell on Blount's season. The 6'0", 250-pound bruising back did not begin either of the past two seasons as the team's top running back, but he ended each of them atop the depth chart.

Blount will miss an opportunity to see how he measures up against his old team, the Pittsburgh Steelers, but he will not necessarily have to watch from the bench any longer than that.

Stock Up: Tom Brady

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Thanks to Judge Richard Berman's ruling on DeflateGate, Tom Brady (12) will play in Weeks 1-5 and every week he is healthy enough to do so.

In case you've been living under a Plymouth-sized rock, Tom Brady's suspension has been overturned by Judge Richard Berman, and the Patriots will have their star quarterback to begin the 2015 regular season.

By virtue, his rising stock sets off a chain reaction of stock-ups: the receivers, the tight ends, the running backs, the coaches, the fans and everyone else affiliated with the Patriots organization. 

There was some concern that the 2015 season might mark the beginning of the end for the Patriots; their three AFC East rivals have all made steps forward in terms of building their roster and/or coaching staff this offseason, and with Brady out for four games, there was at least the chance that New England would start the season slow.

The 2014 season was proof that the Patriots can get off to a slow start even with Brady under center. That being said, the Patriots definitely appear to be better off in his hands for the time being. 

Stock Down: Brandon LaFell

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Brandon LaFell (19) was a huge factor in the Patriots' offensive success in 2014, but he will spend at least the first six weeks of the season on the active/physically unable to perform list.

In 2014, wide receiver Brandon LaFell broke out in Week 4 against the Kansas City Chiefs with six catches for 119 yards. In 2015, he'll have to wait until Week 8 against the New York Jets if he wants to get back on the map.

The Patriots will be without LaFell until Week 7 after placing the veteran wide receiver on the active/physically unable to perform list.

Tom Brady came to rely on LaFell for his blend of size, toughness and run-after-catch ability. LaFell led the Patriots in yards after catch per reception, according to Pro Football Focus. His ability to make a big play even bigger also made him one of the most valuable players on the offensive side of the ball.

The Patriots will instead have to find a way to work without LaFell in the fold for nearly the first full half of the regular season. 

Stock Up: Aaron Dobson

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With Brandon LaFell out of commission until Week 7, Aaron Dobson (17) is the Patriots' top boundary threat at wide receiver.

With Brandon LaFell out of the mix until Week 7, the Patriots must find another receiver to fill his role on the boundary. That receiver needs to be able to win one-on-one matchups, test a defense vertically and create yards after the catch.

At his best—and healthiest—Aaron Dobson has shown he can do those things. Unfortunately for Dobson, he's been neither at his best nor his healthiest since roughly halfway through his rookie season. 

Dobson hauled in 35 receptions for 492 yards and four touchdowns in his first nine games in a Patriots uniform in 2013. He injured his foot and dealt with the backlash throughout the 2014 preseason. In the end, he finished 2014 with three catches for 38 yards while battling more injuries as he was on and off the active game-day roster.

The Patriots will need Dobson to cash in on the potential he showed early in his NFL career in order to ease the pain of LaFell's absence.