The Patriots’ schedule this season didn’t work out very well for players with young kids.

With a game against the Broncos at prime time on Christmas Eve, the Patriots will be arriving home from Denver on Christmas morning.

Some Patriots fans are not so secretly wishing their team will lose out to ensure a better draft pick, but a win will make players feel like the trip out during the holiday season was worth it.

Here are four players to watch on the night before Christmas:

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RB Kevin Harris

The Patriots officially signed Harris to their 53-man roster on Tuesday after placing cornerback J.C. Jackson on the non-football illness list. Harris, a 2022 sixth-round pick out of South Carolina, had a nice 18-yard touchdown run in Sunday’s loss to the Chiefs.

Expect Ezekiel Elliott to keep carrying the load Sunday night against the Broncos, but Harris did eat into the veteran’s touches last week as a practice squad elevation.

Harris didn’t see the field in Week 14’s win over the Steelers, then carried the ball four times for 25 yards with the touchdown in Week 15.

It’s at least worth seeing what Harris looks like in game action and if the Patriots could depend on him as a backup to Rhamondre Stevenson in 2024 over the final three weeks of the season.

They also need to figure out if they want Elliott back on the team as he gets set to hit free agency.

TE Mike Gesicki

The Patriots took a flier on Gesicki in free agency, and it hasn’t worked out. He’s caught just 22 passes for 189 yards with one touchdown in 14 games with seven starts.

It’s tough to believe the Dolphins used a franchise tag on Gesicki just last season.

But with tight end Hunter Henry nursing a knee injury, Gesicki might need to take on a bigger role in the passing game. Pharaoh Brown would likely handle most of Henry’s blocking duties, and perhaps Matt Sokol could be elevated off the practice squad, but quarterback Bailey Zappe needs to throw to someone out of the tight end role.

LB Mack Wilson

Wilson has ranked with Anfernee Jennings as the biggest surprise contributors to the Patriots’ defense. He’s playing a hybrid role as a linebacker and edge defender and has registered sacks in consecutive weeks.

The Alabama product didn’t play a defensive snap for the Patriots after Week 13 last season, but they brought him back as a free agent anyway. The move paid off, and Wilson has played over 20 defensive snaps in three consecutive games to finish off this year.

Wilson is the Patriots’ fourth-highest graded defender on PFF. He has 10 total pressures and has allowed just eight catches on nine targets for 58 yards. He also has nine defensive stops, two pass breakups and a batted pass.

CB Shaun Wade

There was some clarity to the situation after the fact, but it was strange to see Wade as a healthy scratch last week and Jackson active but not on the sideline.

Jackson has since been placed on the NFI list, and his agent told ESPN’s Adam Schefter that his client is dealing with mental health issues. Something must have occurred between 11:30 a.m., when the Patriots submitted inactives, and 1 p.m. when the game started, with Jackson.

But now it will be interesting to see how the Patriots divvy up snaps between Jonathan Jones, Myles Bryant, Alex Austin and Wade at cornerback.

Austin, a rookie who was playing just his second game with the Patriots in Week 15, was a surprise starter. Wade has significantly more experience in the Patriots’ defense.

Jones will start outside, and Bryant will continue to be the Patriots’ slot cornerback. But the Patriots need to figure out if Austin or Wade is the best option to take on Broncos wide receivers Courtland Sutton, Jerry Jeudy, Lil’Jordan Humphrey and Marvin Mims.

Austin had some penalties in Sunday’s game but has shown some upside as a 2023 seventh-round pick.

Wade was praised by Patriots cornerbacks coach Mike Pellegrino and head coach Bill Belichick earlier this season.