Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or Ray Davis

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, August 9, 7:07 PM

With Buffalo Bills star running back James Cook staging a hold-in and unwilling to play Saturday, Ray Davis earned the start in the team's 34-25 preseason-opening loss to the New York Giants. Davis rushed for just seven yards on four attempts and caught one of two targets for another seven yards. As the Bills' emergency kicker, his most memorable highlight came on a successful extra-point attempt in the second quarter. The 5-foot-8, 220-pound Davis joined the Bills as a fourth-round pick from Kentucky in 2024 and was a capable reserve behind Cook as a rookie. Davis appeared in all 17 of the Bills' regular-season games and totaled 442 rushing yards and three touchdowns on 113 rushing attempts. He also caught three TDs and pulled in 17 of his 19 targets for 189 yards. With third-down back Ty Johnson also in the fold, Davis took around 25% of offensive snaps last season. That should be the case again in 2025, but Davis might have an expanded role early on if Cook is unavailable. While Cook seems unlikely to sit out into Week 1 over dissatisfaction with his contract, Davis figures to be the main beneficiary if he does. Cook missed one game last season, a 23-20 win over the New York Jets in Week 6, and Davis accrued 152 total yards (97 rushing, 55 receiving) on 23 touches as Buffalo's go-to back.