Patriots will be down key defensive starter for AFC Championship; Mack Hollins, Carlton Davis questionable

New England Patriots

The Patriots might only be down one starter for Sunday’s AFC title game.

By Conor Roche

January 23, 2026 | 3:04 PM

2 minutes to read

The Patriots won’t be fully healthy for Sunday’s AFC title tilt against the Broncos, but they might only be short one starter when they head to Denver.

Edge rusher Harold Landy III was the only player the team ruled out for Sunday’s game in their final injury report of the week. Cornerback Carlton Davis, wide receiver Mack Hollins, and linebacker Marte Mapu are questionable to play against the Broncos.

Landry didn’t practice this week due to a knee injury, which he’s dealt with for much of the last month. He missed the Patriots’ final two regular-season games due to the injury before playing in their first two playoff wins. Landry was relatively limited in those two games, though, playing just 37 defensive snaps between the two wins over the Chargers and Texans.

Landry was arguably the Patriots’ top pass rusher in the regular season. His 8.5 sacks were a team-high, and his 48 pressures were the third-most on the roster. But he didn’t record a sack over the Patriots’ first two playoff games and logged just two pressures so far this postseason.

The Patriots have been able to make do, though, with Landry limited this postseason. They’ve logged nine sacks, although the Chargers’ and Texans’ offensive lines were regarded as two of the worst in the league this season. The Broncos’ offensive line was graded as the best offensive line in football this season by Pro Football Focus.

Davis, meanwhile, didn’t have the red non-contact jersey on at Friday’s practice. That’s a sign that he’s progressing through the league’s concussion protocol, giving him a chance to play on Sunday. The veteran starter departed the Patriots’ win over the Texans early after logging two interceptions of C.J. Stroud.

As for Hollins, he returned to practice this week after getting placed on injured reserve with an abdominal injury in December. Hollins was among the Patriots’ top pass catchers in the regular season, logging 46 receptions for 550 yards and two touchdowns.

Finally, Mapu has appeared in every game this season for the Patriots, but he appeared on the injury report this week due to a hip injury. He missed the first two practices this week. The third-year linebacker has been more of a depth piece for the Patriots this season, logging 25 total tackles, an interception, and a forced fumble in the regular season. He’s only played two defensive snaps in the playoffs.