Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or Dameon Pierce

Wednesday, October 22, 10:11 AM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson has solidified himself as the clear workhorse in the backfield. Through seven games, Stevenson has totaled 69 carries for 245 yards and three touchdowns, while adding 15 receptions for 154 yards through the air. He showcased his trademark power running style in Week 7, rumbling for 88 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries against the Tennessee Titans. Many expected rookie TreVeyon Henderson to see an expanded role following Antonio Gibson's season-ending knee injury, but that hasn't materialized. Over the last two games, Stevenson has dominated the workload, playing 77% of the snaps, compared to Henderson's 15%. While Stevenson remains the lead back, fantasy managers should still proceed with caution, as any given week could feature a change in the backfield rotation, especially with the team's second-round investment in Henderson. For Week 8, Stevenson projects as a high-end RB3 against the Cleveland Browns, who boast one of the toughest run defenses in the league.

Saturday, October 18, 5:33 PM

Houston Texans running back Dameon Pierce played a season-high 16 snaps and had seven carries for 21 yards in his team's last game before the bye week. However, it was his first game being active since Week 1, and all his work came in the fourth quarter of their blowout win over the Ravens. With Nick Chubb getting early-down work and Woody Marks as a promising prospect for passing downs, Pierce will likely have no role except in mop-up duty or an occasional one-off carry. He is the No. 69-ranked RB in RotoBaller's rankings for Week 7 and is not expected to be a fantasy factor going forward, barring injury to Chubb or Marks.