The 2024 season was a roller-coaster ride for Rhamondre Stevenson, as ball-security issues, inconsistency, and a mediocre offense around him plagued his season. Those three things alone would turn off fantasy football owners, and given how putrid the Patriots' offense was last season, many fantasy owners avoided their players like the plague.
But Stevenson, along with second-year quarterback Drake Maye, could be a guy that fantasy owners should take a chance on this season. Even though the Patriots drafted TreVeyon Henderson in the second round, Stevenson remains New England's lead running back until further notice, and should shine in a three-back offense guided by Josh McDaniels.
According to Pro Football Focus, Stevenson is one of five players throughout the league due for a bounce-back season in a fantasy football context. And that could be good news for a Patriots' offense in need of turbocharging.
Fantasy owners should take a chance on Rhamondre Stevenson in 2025
While Stevenson probably isn't strong enough to be a lead back in a fantasy lineup, a bounceback season could generate quality points in a flex-type position, or as a guy off the bench.
His numbers from 2024 indicate that he's primed to be back to his old self in 2025, as he averaged less than four yards per carry in six straight games after returning from an injury. This was a player who had a 1,000-yard season to his credit, and we must remember that in 2024, he was running behind one of the league's worst offensive lines.
That's another position the Patriots addressed this offseason, particularly with the drafting of left tackle Will Campbell. Stevenson will have a much better offensive line to run behind this season, and McDaniels' schemes will set him up to succeed.
Stevenson likely won't see many catches out of the backfield thanks to the presence of Henderson and Antonio Gibson, both of whom are seen as hybrid backs who can catch the ball out of the backfield and run. However, Stevenson's fantasy value may lie in the number of touchdowns he can score in the red zone and his ability to consistently approach 100 yards.
If you're a fantasy owner, roll the dice on the veteran running back. It could mean the difference between winning and losing.
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