Douglas was among the Patriots' key skill players who didn't play in Thursday's preseason opener against the Colts, Mark Daniels of masslive.com reports.
Also in that category were the team's top two WRs, A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs, while Kayshon Boutte, Mack Hollins and Kyle Williams all saw action in the contest. Douglas is listed as a first-teamer along with Brown and Doubs on New England's unofficial depth chart, and it looks like he could be poised for an uptick in snaps/targets out of the slot this coming season after seeing his catch total in 2025 drop to 31 following a 66-catch effort in 2024. In that scenario, the 2023 sixth-rounder has a chance to resurface as a fantasy option in deeper PPR-friendly formats.