Despite all the uncertainty about what the New England Patriots offense will look like post Josh McDaniels, there's reason to believe second-year running back Rhamondre Stevenson could take a major step forward in 2022.
On his new NBC Sports show "Fantasy Football Happy Hour," Matthew Berry listed Stevenson as one of his breakout stars for 2022, adding an interesting nugget that has real-life implications:
"Again, under 150 touches for Stevenson last year in a productive rookie year. I think there's a chance he doubles that number this year. I'm all in on team Rhamondre. I had a source tell me that they think they're gonna use him like [Alvin] Kamara. I was just like 'Oh!.' We'll see, like who knows. But I thought that was really, really interesting."
A fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft out of Oklahoma, Stevenson rushed for 606 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season, averaging 4.6 yards per carry. He also added 14 catches for 123 yards.
It has typically been seen as a cardinal sin in fantasy football to select a Patriots running back with any pick of significance, given that the team usually rotates those who are getting the carries.
However, there's fewer running backs available each year that are going to carry the ball 250+ times. If Stevenson is going to see an increase in carries and become more of a weapon in the passing game, he may be worth a flier in your fantasy draft. Currently, Stevenson's average draft position among running backs in ESPN PPR leagues is 31, so he may give you a chance to get one of the best value selections of the year.
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