New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) will not play on Sunday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC2. Stevenson was unable to practice on Wednesday and Thursday but was not seen at Friday's practice. Even though he will sit out this weekend, head coach Jerod Mayo expressed that this injury is not deemed to be serious and will not sideline Stevenson for an extended period. Fantasy managers should monitor the 26-year-old's status during next week's practices. On Sunday, Antonio Gibson should be expected to serve as the lead running back and should be viewed as a high-volume flex play against a tough Houston run defense.
Rhamondre Stevenson Not Expected To Miss Significant Time
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) is not expected to miss a long period of time, according to Mike Reiss of ESPN. Stevenson did not practice earlier in the week and was also not seen at Friday's practice. Fantasy managers should monitor Friday's injury report, as it will likely provide clarity on his status heading into the weekend. However, the fact that Stevenson has not logged a practice session this week does not bode well for his availability on Sunday. After not finding the end zone during Weeks 3 and 4, Stevenson broke out of his slump last weekend and ran for 89 yards and a score. If Stevenson were to sit out this weekend, Antonio Gibson becomes a viable flex option and should see a majority of the opportunities in the backfield.
Rhamondre Stevenson Absent From Practice On Thursday
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) was not spotted at the team's open portion of practice on Thursday, marking the second straight day he has missed. A Thursday "DNP" is always concerning, so fantasy managers should start to prepare for the possibility of him missing the Week 6 contest against the Houston Texans. If he misses, former Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson could see close to a workhorse role, while JaMycal Hasty would likely see some work behind him. The Texans have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to RBs this season, but rookie quarterback Drake Maye will likely target Stevenson or Gibson often in his first career NFL start. That said, whichever running back starts could see a slight boost in PPR setups.
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (calf) did not practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury, according to Patriots beat reporter Taylor Kyles. The 26-year-old didn't appear to be injured following the Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but nonetheless, his status is now worth monitoring. Last week, head coach Jerod Mayo said the team would start Antonio Gibson at running back following Stevenson's four fumbles in four games, but Stevenson still led the team in touches and rushed 12 times for 89 yards and a touchdown. He should continue to be viewed as the RB1 in New England, but if he can't play on Sunday, Gibson will become an attractive RB2 option. New England faces a Houston Texans' defense that has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs this season, but the former Washington Commanders' ball carrier could see 20-plus touches and be leaned on in rookie quarterback Drake Maye's first start. If Stevenson plays, he's a solid RB2 option.
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 89 yards and a touchdown on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. He also caught all four of his targets for a total of three yards through the air. Stevenson was demoted from his starting role in favor of Antonio Gibson amidst major fumbling concerns this week, but the coaching staff couldn't keep him off the field very long as he averaged 7.4 yards per carry and found the end zone. The 26-year-old has now eclipsed 17 fantasy points (PPR) in three of his five games this season, and his impressive performance this Sunday was likely enough for him to win back his starting job heading into Week 6 against the Houston Texans. Stevenson returns to the low-end RB2 tier for fantasy football going forward.
New England Patriots head coach Jerod Mayo revealed on Friday that running back Rhamondre Stevenson won't make the start in Week 5 this Sunday against the division-rival Miami Dolphins. "Had a conversation with Rhamondre [Stevenson] and he won't be starting I'll be upfront and transparent. But he will play. And he understands he has to protect the football going forward," Mayo said. The head coach said earlier this week that he'd consider starting Antonio Gibson over Stevenson this week, and it looks like that will happen. Stevenson has had trouble hanging onto the football (four fumbles) while averaging 4.1 yards per carry on 65 rushing attempts. Gibson has been more efficient, averaging a career-best 5.3 yards per tote on just 29 carries. Stevenson should still be involved on Sunday, but now he'll be an even lower upside RB3/flex for fantasy managers.
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 201 yards and two touchdowns in his first two games of the 2024 campaign, but over the last two weeks, he has mustered just 66 yards on the ground. He has also fumbled one time in all four contests, which has led to head coach Jerod Mayo considering starting Antonio Gibson ahead of him. "That's definitely under consideration," Mayo said. "We can't preach ball security is job security and still have him out there the majority of the time." Gibson has averaged 5.3 yards per carry and 11.7 yards per reception through his first 36 touches this year, so it would not be surprising if he at least starts to eat into Stevenson's workload. However, New England extended Stevenson's contract this offseason, so it would be somewhat of a surprise if he's benched for a significant stretch. All that said, there's a chance the New England backfield morphs into more of a committee approach, which would hurt Stevenson's fantasy outlook and enhance Gibson's. Gibson should be picked up in leagues of 12 teams or more based on Mayo's comments.
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 43 yards on 13 carries during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. He also converted five targets into four catches for 19 yards through the air. On a more negative note, Stevenson did lose a fumble in the effort. He has now fumbled in all four games this season and has lost a fumble in each of the last two contests. Evidently, the running back's productivity and versatility on offense have been somewhat canceled out by his ball security issues. At the same time, fellow running back Antonio Gibson has tallied 219 scrimmage yards over the last three games, showing a combination of burst and ball security that we simply haven't seen from Stevenson in the last couple of weeks. Stevenson should still be the Patriots' No. 1 running back against the Miami Dolphins in Week 5, but the gap between the two of them is likely shrinking as Gibson makes a case for more snaps and touches.
Rhamondre Stevenson Concerns Managers Ahead Of Week 4
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson is suddenly difficult to trust in fantasy football following his quiet outing against the New York Jets in Week 3. The Patriots' lead back tallied just 23 yards in the contest, and his job doesn't get any easier ahead of Week 4 versus the San Francisco 49ers. The Niners' defense has merely ranked near the middle of the league in opportunities, yards, and fantasy points allowed to running backs, but even the pure game script alone could be enough to keep Stevenson from having a solid fantasy performance. San Francisco is currently favored by 10.5 points. If they get an early lead, they will run the ball to drain the clock and reduce opportunities for the Patriots' playmakers. Similarly, in that scenario, New England would feel more pressure to pass the football and take the ball out of their running back's hands. All of these factors ultimately lead to Stevenson ranking just inside the top 24 fantasy running backs with a low floor and a high ceiling.
Rhamondre Stevenson Held To Just Six Carries In Week 3
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed just six times for 23 yards during Thursday's loss to the New York Jets. The 26-year-old has logged at least 21 carries and one touchdown in each of the first two games this season, so his reduced opportunities and production in Week 3 was certainly a surprise. It should also be noted that Stevenson fumbled for the third consecutive game, creating real ball security concerns. If he can't protect the football, he'll lose favor among the coaching staff and play fewer snaps. He's already dropped to the mid-range RB2 tier for Week 4.
