Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or Isiah Pacheco

Monday, September 15, 1:01 AM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 54 yards on 11 carries during Sunday's Week 2 win over the Miami Dolphins. He also caught all five of his targets for an additional 88 yards through the air. The Patriots' offense ran through Stevenson in this divisional contest as he ultimately led the team in carries, rushing yards, targets, receptions, and receiving yards. Although there has been plenty of chatter about Stevenson eventually relinquishing his role to Tre'Veyon Henderson, that simply won't happen if he continues to play at a high level. Sunday's showing should only earn him more playing time going forward, so we expect him to fetch another 15-plus touches against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 3. Pittsburgh's defense hasn't been playing nearly as well as expected through the first two weeks of the season, allowing 145 scrimmage yards to Breece Hall in Week 1, followed by 118 scrimmage yards and a touchdown to Kenneth Walker III in Week 2. The Steelers should be considered a favorable matchup for Stevenson, who is suddenly back in the mid-range RB2 conversation after a terrific performance on the road.

Saturday, September 13, 4:45 AM

Kansas City Chiefs running back Isiah Pacheco will face the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 2. The defending Super Bowl champions defeated the Chiefs in their last matchup, and Pacheco only had seven rushing yards on three carries. The 26-year-old will have the chance to exact some revenge, but he must first overcome the timeshare he's in with Kareem Hunt. Pacheco and Hunt had the same number of opportunities in Week 1; both handled five carries and two catches on three targets. The former ultimately finished with more total yards, but it was not an impressive performance by either back. Pacheco did manage 5.0 yards per carry when given the opportunity, so maybe he can build on that efficiency with more usage. That said, the Eagles defense was one of the toughest in the league to run against last season, and that looks to be the case again this year. Pacheco will have his work cut out for him if he wants to carve out a larger role in the Kansas City backfield. Pacheco is ranked RB35 in our RotoBaller rankings this week, making him an RB3/Flex option. He'll be a tough player to trust this week.