Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or James Cook III

Tuesday, June 23, 5:49 AM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson was able to overcome early-season fumbling concerns in 2025 and led the team in running back snaps on his way to a very usable RB25 finish, despite missing three games. While calls for a TreVeyon Henderson breakout are growing louder and easier to buy into, there's a world where the 2025 second-round pick takes his game to a stratospheric level without meaningfully impacting Stevenson. In what will be quarterback Drake Maye's second full season as a starter, there is a sense around the team that he has taken ownership of Josh McDaniels' offense, and with New England acquiring A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to go with Mack Hollins and Kayshon Boutte, they could boast the most physically imposing receiver room in the league. Having spent a first-round pick to shore up the offensive line after making free agent investments at fullback and tight end, this appears to be a unit looking for creative ways to adopt a bully-ball persona. In what should remain one of the league's most efficient and explosive offenses, there's a realistic possibility for both backs to crack 1,000 yards from scrimmage while pushing for double-digit touchdowns, and at RotoBaller's RB28, Stevenson remains a value in the middle rounds of 2026 drafts.