Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or Tyrone Tracy Jr.

Friday, January 3, 11:03 PM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson remains an unreliable fantasy option heading into Sunday's Week 18 contest against the Buffalo Bills. Stevenson was effectively benched last Saturday against the Los Angeles Chargers. While he did log the first touch of the game, he finished the contest with just two carries for one yard while Antonio Gibson rushed the ball 12 times. Gibson has led the Patriots' backfield in snaps for two consecutive weeks, which is the product of Stevenson's poor ball security this season, including a costly Week 16 fumble against the Bills. The Patriots have been somewhat quiet about their personnel decision for Sunday's regular-season finale, but we would expect Stevenson to remain in the doghouse. He's not a dependable fantasy option as the Patriots' season wraps up.

Sunday, January 5, 6:45 PM

New York Giants running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. rushed for 59 yards on 14 carries during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. He also caught two passes for an additional seven yards through the air. The rookie out of Purdue was solid in his first pro season, but he did endure a rough stretch with just 3.9 yards per carry over his final five games. All in all, Tracy finished as a mid-range RB3 in fantasy football, amassing 839 rushing yards, 284 receiving yards, and six total touchdowns. The Giants may look to bring in some running back competition this offseason, but Tracy has an early leg up on the starting job for 2025.