Rhamondre Stevenson's finish was spectacular. His workload was not.

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). For 2026, a late-season touchdown spike is far from guaranteed.

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.

TreVeyon Henderson is the larger threat than either receiver. Henderson led the Patriots in touches, scrimmage yards, and touchdowns as a rookie, and his carries jumped from 53 in his first eight games to 127 in his final nine. Stevenson's own eruption happened beside that takeover, which means both can score in the same offense. It does not mean Stevenson can count on leading the work.

The backfield division matters most near the goal line. Stevenson's final six appearances included six touchdowns on only 63 touches; Henderson scored nine rushing touchdowns after midseason. If New England again creates enough scoring chances for both, Stevenson can beat his touch count. If those chances normalize, the veteran needs more carries to hold his price.

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 countercase is brutally simple: 104 points on 63 late-season touches required six touchdowns and 7.9 yards per touch. That is partly usage, partly game flow, and partly luck. Carrying that efficiency across a full season is optimistic; the first-half baseline returns if Henderson owns the extra work.

Early downs will clarify more than the nominal depth chart. Stevenson needs either the majority of short-yardage carries or a return to the receiving volume that once made him a PPR anchor. A weekly dozen touches split evenly between the 20s leaves him dependent on the same touchdown streak drafters are already paying to repeat.

Wait until the seventh

Stevenson's ADP is 67.8, while Ball Ranks lists him at 76. Take him 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.