Stevan Ridley Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Patriots HC Bill Belichick praised rookie RB James White in a radio segment earlier this week.  "He’s a very interesting and versatile player," Belichick said. "He does a good job in the passing game and in the running game -- both inside and outside. Blitz pickup -- we have a pretty extensive offense for him to learn, but he’s working hard at it. We’ll just let him go and see how it goes, but I think he has the ability to compete on all three downs, in both the running game and the passing game."  Belichick rarely talks up players to the media -- especially rookies -- so this carries significant weight.  Of course, the New England media has been impressed by White all offseason.  He at least looks like a strong handcuff to a fumble-prone Stevan Ridley and injury-prone Shane Vereen.  We'll see if White can carve out a significant role even when those 2 guys are on the field.

Patriots insider Erik Frenz believes rookie RB James White is a "major threat for touches" this season.  New England nabbed White in the 4th round of May's draft.  He averaged a gaudy 6.2 yards per carry for his college career and posted a 39-300-2 receiving line last season.  Perhaps most importantly, White lost just 2 fumbles on 716 touches at Wisconsin.  Frenz projects White to slot in as New England's #3 RB behind Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen.  (Frenz has Brandon Bolden getting cut.)  That'd leave the rookie short of reliable fantasy value, but just 1 injury ahead of him on the depth chart could change that.  We just bumped White up our RB Rankings.  He's worth a late-round flier in deeper fantasy drafts.

Patriots insider Tom Curran believes RB Stevan Ridley is still the team's "preference as lead back with the best complement of skills."  In fact, Curran says, "if Stevan Ridley were a stock, now would be the time to buy."  Of course, fumbles have been Ridley's biggest issue.  He's lost 8 of them in 3 NFL seasons.  Curran believes those are "fixable," though.  "Most of his fumbles are a result of either inattentiveness or leaving the ball unprotected while fighting for yards in traffic," he writes.  When Ridley has held onto the ball, he's been uber-effective.  He sports a career 4.5 yards-per-carry average and has scored 20 TDs in 46 games.  We'll see if he's able to win back HC Bill Belichick's trust this offseason.  We'll get a good indication based on how hard New England works to bring back free agent LeGarrette Blount.  We're on board with Curran, though: Ridley is a nice buy-low in keeper and dynasty leagues.  And he might be a value pick in 2014 redrafts.

Patriots insider Mike Reiss confirms that there's been a "changing of the guard" in the backfield.  RB LeGarrette Blount has played more snaps than RB Stevan Ridley in 5 straight games.  Blount has set season highs the past 2 weeks with snap counts of 27 and 33.  He's totaled 265 yards and 4 TDs on 40 carries (6.6-yard average) in those 2 games.  Look for Blount to lead the Patriots in carries in the postseason.  He's a RB1 in fantasy playoff leagues.

A week after being a healthy scratch, Patriots RB Stevan Ridley was on the field for 17 of the team's 82 offensive snaps against the Browns on Sunday.  That trailed RB Shane Vereen's 44 snaps and LeGarrette Blount's 21.  Ridley did tie for the team lead with 8 carries.  He totaled 35 yards, and most importantly, didn't fumble.  If he can continue to hang on to the ball, his role should grow.  But it'll still be tough to trust him as a fantasy option against the Dolphins next week.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Patriots RB Stevan Ridley is expected to be active for today's game against the Browns.  It's tough to see him playing a significant role after being a healthy scratch last week, though.  Ridley can't be trusted in fantasy lineups.

Patriots RB Stevan Ridley is a healthy scratch for today's game against the Texans.  The team isn't even going to mess around with a guy who has fumbled in 3 straight games.  RB Brandon Bolden figures to handle most of the early-down work today, with RB Shane Vereen handling the pass-catching duties.  Click here to see our updated projections for the Patriots backfield.

ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that Patriots RB Stevan Ridley is not expected to play a significant role in today's game against the Texans.  Schefter even hints that Ridley might be a healthy scratch.  His fumble-itis has finally landed him in the doghouse.  Ridley obviously needs to be on fantasy benches today.  Look for RB Brandon Bolden to handle early-down work, with RB Shane Vereen dominating the passing-down touches.  RB LeGarrette Blount also lost a fumble last week and can't be trusted in fantasy.

Here's Patriots insider Mike Reiss' take on RB Stevan Ridley's role going forward, after losing his 4th fumble of the season last week: "First, I'd be shocked if they released him. He is a good runner working through a ball-security issue, which is similar to what Kevin Faulk faced early in his Patriots career. We saw him overcome it, so I don't think we're at an end-of-the-road type situation with Ridley. That said, in the short term, I think it's fair to assume that the days of Ridley playing a running back-high 45 percent of the offensive snaps, as he did last year, are over. Too risky. I'd expect to see more of a rotation with Ridley, LeGarrette Blount (also a ball-security risk) and Brandon Bolden in that big-back role."  No one knows exactly what HC Bill Belichick is thinking when it comes to Ridley at this point.  We do know that he's consistently gone back to him in the past in games after he's fumbled.  It sounds like Reiss, 1 of the most tapped-in reporters in the industry, believes that won't be the case this time.  Ridley will be an extremely risky Week 13 fantasy play.  We'll re-assess his value the rest of the way after that game.

Patriots RB Stevan Ridley didn't step back on the field after his 1st-quarter fumble against the Broncos on Sunday night.  He finished with 4 carries for 14 yards.  Ridley has now lost 4 fumbles this season.  "It’s almost disgusting -- consecutive weeks, and personally as a player, my team deserves better," he said after the game.  "I come in. I work and bust my ass every day to come in here and not make the same mistakes. To have the same mistakes happen, there’s something I’ve got to do different, I’ve got to do better."  HC Bill Belichick has consistently gone back to Ridley the game after his previous fumbles, but there's no guarantee that'll be the case this time.  RB LeGarrette Blount also lost a fumble on Sunday night, leaving the backfield to RBs Shane Vereen and Brandon Bolden.

Patriots RB Shane Vereen (wrist) returned to practice on Wednesday.  He's eligible to play starting in Week 11.  If healthy, Vereen will quickly re-assume passing-down duties and might even push RB Stevan Ridley for early-down work.  Vereen had a monster Week 1 performance, racking up 101 rushing yards and 58 receiving yards while playing through that wrist injury.  If he's available in your fantasy league, add him now.

Patriots RB Stevan Ridley (knee/thigh) is active for today's game against the Saints.  We're expecting to take back over as New England's lead back, especially after LeGarrette Blount's fumble last week.  Consider Ridley a low-end RB2.

Patriots RB Stevan Ridley and WR Danny Amendola are both expected to play Sunday against the Saints, according to the Boston Herald.  Both are listed as questionable on the Week 6 injury report.  Ridley missed Week 5 with a thigh bruise.  Amendola returned to play in that game for the 1st time since Week 1.  Ridley's return figures to hit LeGarrette Blount the hardest.  Brandon Bolden should remain the team's top receiving back.