New England enters camp with the same trio of fullbacks for the third straight season. All three have the ability to play, but they also have all battled injuries for the last couple years.
Veteran Tony Carter has been the starter for the last two seasons. He started 15 of 16 games in 1999, with his only non-start came at Miami when the Patriots opened in a double tight end set. Carter doesn't carry the ball often, but he was sixth on the team with 20 receptions.
Third-year man Chris Floyd played in 13 games in a reserve role. He missed three games with a sprained left knee suffered in Week Four against Kansas City. He is a hard-nosed player who should make a push for the starting job provided he stays healthy.
Harold Shaw has been a key special teams contributor in his first two seasons, but his time with the regular offense has been limited. Last year he missed eight games with a left quadriceps injury. Shaw touched the ball for the first time in his career in Week 16 when he carried four times for six yards and caught two passes for 31 yards. In the season finale he ran five times for 17 yards.
| Fullbacks (3) | Ht. | Wt. | Exp. | Notes |
| Tony Carter | 6-0 | 232 | 7 | Steady veteran starter who gets the job done. May not fit in new offensive scheme. |
| Chris Floyd | 6-2 | 235 | 3 | Injuries have plagued first two years, but he is poised to take over starting job. |
| Harold Shaw | 6-0 | 228 | 3 | A solid special teams player who can be a FB or RB, but he needs to show something this year. |
