Who Should I Start? Christian McCaffrey or Rhamondre Stevenson

Thursday, November 5, 5:28 PM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has surpassed his fantasy expectations so far this year, being drafted as the RB28 before the season, while returning RB20 value in fantasy points per game so far. He has gained 367 yards on the ground, 212 yards on 23 receptions through the air, and has scored three touchdowns in eight games. His running back mate, Treyveon Henderson, suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 5 but returned in Week 6 and has continued to be an afterthought in the Patriots' offense. Henderson may be inactive (illness) in Week 9, which would put Stevenson in line for even more work. Stevenson has rushed 39 times, averaging 3.59 yards per carry, and caught eight passes on eight targets over the previous three weeks. While he hasn't been the most efficient, Stevenson has maintained a solid workload. This should continue even with second-year RB Corey Kiner getting some work and the eventual return of Henderson, giving Stevenson mid-to-low-end RB2 value. The Patriots trust Stevenson on passing downs and in the red zone, so he should have plenty of opportunity there in their Week 9 matchup against the Green Bay Packers, which could result in a substantial point total.