The Patriots will get a key player back on offense in Kendrick Bourne, but will be down both starting safeties Kyle Dugger and Jabrill Peppers on defense when they take on the Miami Dolphins Sunday afternoon at Gillette Stadium.

On Saturday, the team downgraded Jabrill Peppers as out with a shoulder injury, and on the list of inactives, ahead of kick-off against the Dolphins, Kyle Dugger was ruled out with an ankle injury. Those two absences push Jaylinn Hawkins and rookie Dell Pettus up the depth chart for New England.

In Week 7 versus the Buffalo Bills, Bourne had 10.3 fantasy points, thanks to this stat line: six receptions, 63 yards and one touchdown. That marked his second-best fantasy performance of the season.

Not listed among the Patriots’ inactives are wide receiver Kendrick Bourne (knee) and safety Marte Mapu (calf). Bourne is returning off of the PUP list after tearing his ACL last year. Mapu missed the first four weeks of the season on injured reserve. Mapu, Jaylinn Hawkins and Dell Pettus are expected to replace Peppers and Dugger.

Peppers was limited in practice this week with a shoulder injury while Bourne is returning from an ACL tear he suffered last season. The post Patriots’ Jabrill Peppers ruled out, but Kendrick Bourne will reportedly make season debut vs.

New England Patriots offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt noted that the energy at practice has been noticeably different with the return of wide receiver Kendrick Bourne.

The New England receiver has been limited in practice as he continues his recovery from the right ACL tear that he sustained in Week 8 of last season.

Bourne will be activated from the PUP list by New England for Sunday's game against Miami, who will have Odell Beckham, Jr, for the first time.

The official game status for New England Patriots wide receiver Kendrick Bourne was revealed in Friday’s injury report. Per the report, the veteran wide receiver is questionable to play in Sunday’s game against the Miami Dolphins.