Rhamondre Stevenson Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

The Patriots are signing RB Antonio Gibson, according to multiple reports. Gibson primarily served as a receiving back for the Commanders the past two years, averaging 3.0 receptions across 31 games while sharing the backfield with Brian Robinson Jr. He arrives as a potential threat to RB Rhamondre Stevenson's upside. But Gibson's signing might sneakily be good news for the incumbent. Everyone should have expected New England to address a backfield that found Stevenson missing five games last year and Ezekiel Elliott leading the squad in carries and receptions. Gibson opened his career as Washington's lead back before steadily losing work over the past three years. We're not downgrading Stevenson for this addition. He might even turn into a sleeper for 2024 redraft and dynasty leagues, depending on how the market reacts to Gibson. As for Gibson himself, the former Commander remains a late option as a low RB3 to RB5.

The Patriots named Alex Van Pelt their new OC under HC Jerod Mayo. Van Pelt spent the last four seasons as Cleveland's OC, although he didn't call plays for the Browns. Van Pelt did call plays for the Bills way back in 2009. That team finished 30th in total yards and 28th in points under QBs Ryan Fitzpatrick and Trent Edwards. Van Pelt worked as QBs coach for the Bucs, Packers, and Bengals in between his OC stints and is expected to bring a West Coast offense to New England. We'll see what the Patriots do at QB this offseason. They hold the third overall pick and will have a crack at USC's Caleb Williams, North Carolina's Drake Maye, and/or LSU's Jayden Daniels.

The Patriots are set to hire Jerod Mayo as their new HC, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. Mayo has been a lifelong Patriot. He was drafted by the team in 2008, played all eight seasons of his career in New England, and then spent the last five years as their inside LBs coach. The team had reportedly been planning for Mayo to succeed Bill Belichick for a while. We'll see what changes Mayo makes to the rest of the coaching staff, particularly whether he keeps OC Bill O'Brien.

The Patriots placed RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) on IR. He'll end up missing the final five games of the season. Stevenson got off to a brutally slow start this year, averaging just 60 total yards over his first eight games. He got rolling over his final three healthy games, though, averaging 91 rushing yards per game on 5.5 yards per carry plus 4.0 catches and 21.7 receiving yards per game. We'll see what New England adds to the backfield this offseason, but Stevenson figures to play a significant role again in 2024. Ezekiel Elliott will finish out this season as the Patriots' lead back. See where he sits in the Week 17 RB Rankings.

Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott tallied 12 carries for 27 rushing yards in Week 16 vs. the Broncos. Though the veteran didn’t shine as a runner, he did thrive in the receiving game on Sunday night. Elliott concluded the contest with 9 catches on 11 targets (both team-highs) for 33 yards and a score. All said, he finished the week with 21 PPR points and turned in a fourth-straight game with at least 16 touches. Assuming Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) is out of the lineup again in Week 17, Elliott will be in a position to be an RB2 candidate going up against a Bills defense that ranks as the 13th-best RB matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) remained sidelined all week and is out for Sunday night’s game vs. the Broncos. That means another start for RB Ezekiel Elliott. We’ve seen his ceiling and floor the past two games: 140 total yards and a score in Week 14; 46 scoreless yards in Week 15.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) is out for Sunday’s game vs. the Chiefs. He remained sidelined in practice all week and doesn’t look particularly close to a return. Ezekiel Elliott will get another game as feature back this weekend after racking up 22 carries and eight targets on a 91% snap rate last week.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson (ankle) did not practice on Wednesday. Reportedly dealing with a high-ankle sprain, he's unlikely to play vs. the Chiefs this weekend. That'd again leave RB Ezekiel Elliott in a true workhorse role. Zeke racked up 22 carries and eight targets on a 91% snap rate last week.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson has been diagnosed with a high-ankle sprain, ESPN's Adam Schefter reports. A source tells Schefter that Stevenson is expected to miss "a few weeks." High-ankle sprains generally cost RBs 4+ games, so don't be surprised if Stevenson misses the rest of the season. He's droppable in most fantasy leagues without an IR spot. Stevenson's absence will leave Ezekiel Elliott as New England's clear lead back -- in a true test of whether pure volume can support a fantasy RB. New England has RBs Jamycal Hasty and Ty Montgomery behind Elliott on the active roster, with RB Kevin Harris on the practice squad.

The Athletic's Jeff Howe reports that the "initial belief" is that Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson "will miss time, possibly multiple games," with the ankle injury he suffered in the Week 13 loss to the Chargers. Stevenson is scheduled for additional testing on the ankle on Monday, so we should get another update on his status then. But fantasy owners should plan on being without Stevenson for at least Week 14 -- and potentially the rest of the fantasy season. His absence leaves Ezekiel Elliott as New England's lead back and an unexciting but-useable fantasy play.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson suffered an apparent ankle injury in the first quarter of Sunday's game vs. the Chargers. He had to be helped off the field and headed straight to the locker room. We'll update Stevenson's status when we know more.

Update: Stevenson is officially questionable to return with an ankle injury.

Update: Stevenson has been ruled out.

Patriots RB Ezekiel Elliott (thigh) was limited in practice all week and is listed as questionable for Sunday's game vs. the Chargers. We've heard nothing to suggest that Zeke is in danger of missing this one. But the thigh injury is just more reason to believe that RB Rhamondre Stevenson will control backfield work again this weekend.

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson totaled 21 carries for 98 rushing yards and a TD in Week 12’s loss vs. the Giants. He also ranked tied for second on the team with 5 targets in the contest, hauling in 5 receptions for 9 yards as a pass-catcher. Though few things worked well for the Patriots’ offense, who split the QB reps between Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe, Sunday saw Stevenson play on a season-high 77.9% of the offensive snaps and out-touch teammate Ezekiel Elliott 26 to 11. In fact, Stevenson had only logged a 70+% snap rate in just two other games this season (Week 1-2). Fantasy managers looking ahead to Week 13 should be excited about starting Stevenson as he continues to see increased usage. He’s got a solid shot at repeating this effort against a Chargers defense that ranks 26th in run defense DVOA this season next Sunday.