JuJu Smith-Schuster, Trent Brown inactive for Patriots vs. Chiefs

FOXBORO -- There will not be another JuJu Smith-Schuster "revenge game" on Sunday. The Patriots wide receiver is inactive for Sunday's tilt against the Kansas City Chiefs at Gillette Stadium, sidelined with an ankle injury.

The injury has been bothering Smith-Schuster over the last two weeks, and he's been limited in each of the team's last six practices. Smith-Schuster still played last Thursday night in New England's road win over the Steelers -- whom he spent five seasons with to start his NFL career -- and had his best game in a Patriots uniform, catching four passes for a season-high 90 yards.

But the veteran will not be on the field for a follow-up on Sunday against his other former team. Smith-Schuster played last season with Kansas City and won a Super Bowl ring with the Chiefs, before signing a three-year contract with the Patriots in the offseason.

Left tackle Trent Brown is another huge absence for the Patriots on Sunday, as he's among the inactives after battling ankle and hand injuries and an illness throughout the week. He'll be missed along the offense line as the Patriots will face a Chiefs' defense that has racked up 42 sacks on the season so far.

While Smith-Schuster is out, the Patriots will get both Demario Douglas and DeVante Parker back in Bailey Zappe's arsenal. Douglas missed the last two games but cleared concussion protocol on Friday, and is set to rejoin the offense. That's great news for Zappe, as the rookie Douglas leads the team with 410 receiving yards over his 10 games this season.

Parker missed last week with a knee issue, but is ready to return on Sunday. He has 22 receptions and 264 receiving yards over nine games this season. 

But while Tyquan Thornton is active Sunday, rookie receiver Kayshon Boutte won't be suiting up. So Zappe will have Douglas, Parker, Thornton, and Jalen Reagor at wide receiver on Sunday.

With Rhamondre Stevenson out for a second straight week with an ankle sprain, JaMycal Hasty is active for the first time since New England claimed him last month. The Patriots also elevated second-year running back Kevin Harris from the practice squad on Saturday for some more depth out of the backfield. 

A sixth-round pick by the Patriots last year, Harris was also added to the roster ahead of last week's win over the Steelers but did not play a snap. Veteran Ty Montgomery played behind Ezekiel Elliott in Pittsburgh, but he was released last Friday.

Elliott played 52 of New England's 57 offensive snaps last week in Pittsburgh, but Hasty and Harris could be in line to get some carries against the Chiefs on Sunday.

On the defensive side, the Patriots are opting to go with rookie corner Alex Austin over Shaun Wade, who appears to be a healthy scratch on Sunday. Austin, whom New England signed on Nov. 2, nearly had an interception against the Steelers last weekend.