The Patriots aren’t just playing for home-field advantage on Sunday. Sixteen players on the active roster have incentives in their contracts, and the regular season finale against the Dolphins is their last chance to earn them, as postseason statistics don’t count. Let’s take a look at where the players stand entering today’s game (in alphabetical order). The Patriots can always choose to pay out an incentive if a player falls just short, as a reward for their hard work:
RB Brandon Bolden
Incentives: Earns $150k each for 10 percent and 20 percent of offensive snaps, and $200k for 500 total yards (179), for a total of $500k.
Where he stands: Bolden has currently played 8.7 percent of offensive snaps and has gained 179 total yards. So he could earn $150k if he plays a few snaps on offense on Sunday, but the other incentives aren’t reachable.
S Terrence Brooks
Incentives: Earns $100k each for 20 percent, 30 percent and 40 percent of defensive snaps, for a total of $300k.
Where he stands: Brooks has played in 29.2 percent of snaps this season, meaning he already earned one $100k bonus, and is on the verge of earning another. Even if Brooks doesn’t crack 30 percent, the Patriots should give it to him anyway.
RB Rex Burkhead
Incentives: Earns $250k each for 40 percent, 50 percent and 60 percent of offensive snaps, 1,000 total yards, and 1,200 total yards, for a total of $1.25 million.
Where he stands: Burkhead has only played in 22.95 percent of offensive snaps and has 527 total yards, so he won’t earn his incentives.
OT Marcus Cannon
Incentives: Earns $900k for 80 percent of offensive snaps, and $950k for 90 percent, for a total of $1.85 million.
Where he stands: Cannon has played in 86.97 percent of snaps, meaning he has earned his first incentive, and if he plays the entire game Sunday, he should get close to the second.
LB Jamie Collins
Incentives: Earns $250k each for 50 percent, 60 percent, 70 percent, and 80 percent of defensive snaps, and $500k each for 91 percent and 95 percent, for a total of $2 million.
Where he stands: Collins has played in 80.7 percent of snaps this year, meaning he will likely earn the first four incentives ($1 million total) but not the top two incentives. Collins also missed out on a $500k bonus for being named to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot, and will also likely miss a $500k bonus for being named first team All Pro.
Related: Film study: Jamie Collins is doing it all for Patriots defense
WR Phillip Dorsett
Incentives: Earns $300k each for 50, 60 and 70 catches, for a total of $900,000.
Where he stands: Dorsett currently has 28 catches this season, so barring a record-setting performance against the Dolphins, he won’t earn any incentives.
WR Julian Edelman
Incentives: Earns $500k each for 80 and 90 catches, for a total of $1 million.
Where he stands: Edelman has 97 catches this year, so he has already earned the full $1 million.
DE Lawrence Guy
Incentives: Earns $400k for 50 percent of defensive snaps, and $500k each for 55 and 60 percent, for a total of $1.4 million.
Where he stands: Guy has played in 52.5 percent of snaps, meaning he will likely earn the first incentive, and is on the verge of earning the second incentive (the 60 percent level should be out of reach). But Guy has been such a good Patriot this year that the Patriots should still pay out the 55 percent level even if he falls a little short.
S Duron Harmon
Incentives: Earns $250k each for 60, 70 and 80 percent of defensive snaps, for a total of $750k.
Where he stands: Harmon has played in 64.8 percent of defensive snaps, meaning he should earn one $250k incentive, but likely not the other two.
LB Dont’a Hightower
Incentives: Earns $375k for 65 percent of defensive snaps, $250k for 70 percent, $250k for 75 percent, and $125k for 80 percent, for a total of $1 million.
Where he stands: Hightower has played 69.57 percent of snaps, meaning he will earn the $375k incentive, and is on the precipice of another $250k for 70 percent, for a total of $625k. The Patriots should reward Hightower regardless if he hits 70 percent. Hightower also earned a $500k bonus for being named to the Pro Bowl on the original ballot, but will likely miss out on another $500k for being named first team All Pro.
Related: Dont’a Hightower believes more Patriots should have made the Pro Bowl
TE Matt LaCosse
Incentives: Earns $100k each for 25, 30, and 35 catches, $100k for 40 percent of offensive snaps, and $100k for 45 percent, for a total of $500k.
Where he stands: LaCosse has 13 catches this year, meaning he probably won’t earn any of the first three incentives, barring a huge game against the Dolphins. But LaCosse does have a chance of earning one $100k incentive if he plays most of the game on Sunday and reaches 40 percent of snaps for the season.
DT Danny Shelton
Incentives: Earns $220k each for 31, 35, 40, 45 and 50 percent of defensive snaps, for a total of $1.1 million.
Where he stands: Shelton has played in 49.3 percent of snaps this year, meaning he will likely earn the first four incentives, and is on the verge of earning the fifth. Shelton has been one of the Patriots’ biggest surprises this year, and the Patriots should reward him with the full $1.1 million even if he doesn’t hit 50 percent.
DE John Simon
Incentives: Earns $150k each for 30 and 40 percent of defensive snaps, and $300k each for 50, 60, 70 and 80 percent, for a total of $1.5 million.
Where he stands: Simon will earn his first two incentives for a total of $300k, and could possibly earn the 50 percent incentive for $300k if he plays most of the snaps on Sunday.
LB Kyle Van Noy
Incentives: Earns $375k for 80 percent of defensive snaps.
Where he stands: Has played in 79.3 percent of snaps this season. The Patriots should pay this out regardless of whether Van Noy, a defensive leader and impending free agent, cracks 80 percent.
Related: Kyle Van Noy thinks he got snubbed by the Pro Bowl
TE Ben Watson
Incentives: Earns $250k for 35 percent of offensive snaps, and $400k for 45 percent, for a total of $650k.
Where he stands: Watson has played in 39.07 percent of snaps this season, meaning he will earn the 35 percent incentive, but is probably too far off from the 45 percent bonus.
RB James White
Incentives: Earns $250k each for 50 percent and 60 percent of snaps, 1,000 total yards and 1,200 total yards, for a total of $1 million.
Where he stands: White has played in 42.9 percent of offensive snaps, meaning he likely won’t earn either of the playing-time incentives. He also has 871 total yards, meaning he needs 129 yards against the Dolphins to earn one $250k bonus. The Patriots should pay it out if White gets within 10 yards.
Ben Volin can be reached at ben.volin@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @BenVolin.