Who Should I Start? Rhamondre Stevenson or Zach Charbonnet

Wednesday, October 8, 10:18 AM

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson could be in line for an increased workload moving forward. Through five games, Stevenson has totaled 38 carries for 139 yards and two touchdowns, while adding 13 receptions for 154 yards through the air. With Antonio Gibson (knee) out for the season due to a torn ACL, both Stevenson and rookie TreVeyon Henderson should see expanded roles in the offense. While Henderson has been used sparingly to this point, Stevenson remains the most trusted option in New England's backfield. Despite leading the NFL in fumbles, the Patriots continue to rely on him in high-leverage situations, including the red zone. The team's faith in him makes Stevenson an intriguing buy-low candidate for fantasy managers. The Patriots face the New Orleans Saints in Week 6, a defense that has allowed the ninth-most PPR fantasy points to running backs this season. With more carries ahead and a favorable matchup, Stevenson profiles as a low-end RB2 in Week 6.

Friday, October 3, 7:53 PM

Seattle Seahawks running back Zach Charbonnet is a flex option in Week 5 against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Charbonnet continues to split backfield duties with Kenneth Walker III. However, Charbonnet's lack of participation in the passing game is hurting his fantasy value. Charbonnet has scored double-digit fantasy points each time he has found the end zone this season. However, he scored one fantasy point in Week 2 when he did not score. The Seahawks trust Charbonnet as their short-yardage back. Given that this offense has demonstrated its ability to get into scoring position, Charbonnet is always a threat to score. However, he is too inconsistent to be considered for your RB2 spot. Additionally, the Buccaneers boast one of the better defensive fronts in the NFL. They have been middle-of-the-road against opposing running backs in fantasy, but opposing running backs are averaging less than three yards per carry. Charbonnet is a fine flex play, especially given that bye weeks have begun, but his upside is capped in Week 5.