Patriots Place Romeo Doubs on IR, Leaving New England's Receiver Room in Shambles

The New England Patriots just placed Romeo Doubs on injured reserve, turning an already thin wide receiver room into a full-blown ghost town.

NFL Network's Tom Pelissero reported the roster move on Monday, officially shelving the receiver after he landed hard on his shoulder during Sunday's 26-19 win over the New York Jets. Medical assessments point to an AC joint sprain, which is doctor-speak for a very painful problem that requires a mandatory four-week vacation.

"Tom Pelissero reported the roster move on Monday."

Before the injury, Doubs was actually putting together a highly productive campaign. He hauled in a 42-yard touchdown pass in the first quarter against New York before exiting, bringing his season totals to 14 catches for 261 yards and three scores.

Losing your top perimeter threat to a shoulder injury is brutal, but looking at the rest of the New England depth chart is a different kind of pain. The Patriots are now rolling out a receiving corps that looks less like an NFL starting lineup and more like a list of auto-generated names from a Madden franchise in year ten.

For anyone holding New England futures or trying to figure out their fantasy flex spots, this is a massive red flag. You cannot confidently back a passing attack when the quarterback is suddenly forced to throw to guys who were fighting for practice squad reps in August.

Doubs is out for at least the next four games, meaning the Patriots have to figure out how to move the chains without their best deep threat. Until he gets back on the field, expect New England to run the ball until the tires completely fall off.