Rhamondre Stevenson saved his season for the final stretch. Do it again.

Rhamondre Stevenson's 2025 season ended in a sprint: 47 carries for 324 yards and four touchdowns over his final six games, at 6.9 yards a carry. The closing stretch looked like a second-round pick's tape. The first eight games — 279 yards on 83 carries — looked like a roster afterthought.

That split reveals New England's problem and Stevenson's opportunity. The Patriots underused him early, then leaned in when the running game finally worked. The question for 2026 is whether Josh McDaniels and Mike Vrabel's offense commits to him from September on, not just when the season forces it.

The second-half surge was not an outlier—it was a correction

Stevenson's first eight weeks: 83 rushing attempts, 279 yards, 3 touchdowns, 16 receptions, 169 receiving yards, 0 receiving touchdowns, 74.8 PPR total.

His final six weeks: 47 rushing attempts, 324 yards, 4 touchdowns, 16 receptions, 176 receiving yards, 2 receiving touchdowns, 104.0 PPR total.

The rushing efficiency gap is real—3.4 yards per carry in the first half, 6.9 in the second. And the workload was genuinely modest: 162 touches across his 14 games, closer to a committee back's diet than a lead back's. New England distributed the ball conservatively until it had to win games.

The receiving volume stayed constant (16 catches in each split), but the scoring did not (0 receiving TDs early, 2 late). Our projection assumes a blend: steadier scoring distribution, 9-10 carries per game, and 2.5-3 targets per game, without the late-season touchdown luck.

A.J. Brown's arrival complicates the workload

The Patriots added A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs to their passing attack. That's elite receiver talent that will draw the best cornerbacks and likely increase Drake Maye's willingness to take deep shots. For Stevenson, the trade-off is real: more pass plays and fewer rushing attempts if New England embraces the vertical game.

McDaniels has better tools now than at any point since returning to New England, and he may pivot toward more play-action and intermediate passing for Brown and Doubs — which helps the offense score and caps how many touches are left over.

If rushing attempts slide to 8-9 per game while targets hold at 2-3, Stevenson lands around 150-170 points. If New England leans harder on the run to set up Brown and Doubs in the passing game, he could match last year's back-end pace.

The durability concern is fumbles, not games missed

Stevenson played 14 of 17 games in 2025—mostly available, but three fumbles lost across the season is above average for a back with his carry volume. That fumble rate (one per 43 carries) is not catastrophic, but it's the kind of noise that can cost a point or two per week in close leagues.

The honest wrinkle is consistency: he was a frustration play early and explosive late, and that is partly usage, partly game flow, and partly luck. Projecting his second-half efficiency across a full season is optimistic; the first-half baseline is the floor if New England's offense doesn't unlock.

The verdict

The market at 67.8 is paying for the December version; our rank of 76 pays for the full season. Take Stevenson in the seventh round, not the sixth — he's the kind of back who looks like a bellcow when things click and a flex play when they don't. With A.J. Brown drawing coverage there is a real path to steady work, but a back who needed ten weeks to earn his own coaching staff's trust should not cost you a premium pick.

See Stevenson's live projection and history on his player profile, or compare him with every running back on the complete 2026 board.