Rhamondre Stevenson Is a Patriots Running Back We Can Trust in Fantasy in 2023

The summer is a perfect time to start preparing for fantasy football drafts. We're covering all of the noteworthy players on FanDuel Research, so you will be armed with knowledge as you draft.

Today, we're going to look at Rhamondre Stevenson of the New England Patriots. He had a breakout 2022 season and could be poised to keep it up in 2023.

Let's take a look.

Rhamondre Stevenson Fantasy Football Projection

Projections via numberFire.

2023 Projection: 1,245 rushing yards, 10.0 rushing TDs, 56 receptions, 375 receiving yards, 2.7 receiving TDs

numberFire Positional Projection: RB11

Rhamondre Stevenson Fantasy Football Outlook

Breakout Season

There are always a lot of myths, theories and rules of thumb to use when approaching running backs on the Patriots.

They've tended to use a backfield by committee, with certain players in defined roles. That changed a bit last season, and it was good news for Stevenson.

Damien Harris was supposed to be the primary back heading into last season, with Stevenson mixing in on some passing downs. Harris ended up suffering an injury in Week 5 and never got his job back.

Stevenson proceeded to dominate the workload for the Patriots the rest of the way, including the high-value touches. He got 89 targets and caught 69 of them, which was the fourth-most catches among backs in 2022. He also was used plenty in the red zone. He saw 47.8% of the team's red-zone rushes and converted 9.4% of them into touchdowns.

Stevenson was a true workhorse for much of 2022, and he thrived in the role, finishing as the RB11 in half-PPR scoring.

Will the Workload Remain the Same in 2023?

There has been a lot of speculation about how the Patriots will approach the backfield in 2023.

First, they signed James Robinson in March when free agency opened up. That raised some worries about Rhamondre's value. However, Robinson has already been cut by New England, so that's not a player Stevenson drafters will have to be concerned with.

Currently, the other backs on New England's roster are veteran pass-catcher Ty Montgomery -- who went down in Week 1 last year and never returned -- along with three younger players who haven't seen much playing time in the NFL: Pierre Strong Jr., Kevin Harris and J.J. Taylor.

This has led to speculation that the Patriots would be interested in signing someone. The rumors are flying about Dalvin Cook potentially signing with the team.

If New England landed Cook, that would obviously cut into Stevenson's workload, but Stevenson would likely still have solid fantasy value after what he showed last season. Patriots coach Bill Belichick isn't typically a guy who caters to big names who don't deserve it, and Cook showed some worrying signs of decline last year, ranking eighth-worst in rushing yards over expected per attempt, according to NFL Next-Gen Stats.

It's definitely possible that New England adds a running back before Week 1, but Stevenson -- after a superb 2022 season -- would still have a great chance of leading the backfield in opportunities.

Where Should Stevenson Be Drafted?

Stevenson is going as the RB10 and is the 26th overall pick, according to FantasyPros' half-PPR average draft position (ADP). That's similar to where he's going in FanDuel best-ball drafts -- RB10 and 28.2 overall -- and it's right where numberFire projects him as their model ranks Stevenson as the RB11.

Stevenson is in a tier with the likes of Breece Hall and Najee Harris -- a group that is below the elite running backs due to various concerns. The worry with Hall is that he is coming off a serious knee injury and may not be ready for Week 1. Playing in a meh offense, Harris was ineffective for large chunks of last season and could lose work to Jaylen Warren.

Stevenson -- as of now -- doesn't have those kind of concerns.

Of course, we'll know to downgrade him a bit if the Patriots make a meaningful addition at running back. Other than that, though, it should be all systems go for Stevenson, who showed last year he can put up big numbers even with the Pats' offense underwhelming. If New England's attack can take a step forward in 2023, it'll only aid Stevenson's fantasy prospects.

He can be used as an anchor running back in your drafts if you want to take only one back early, and he also makes for a superb RB2 selection if you're going after two backs at the start of your drafts.

The above author is a FanDuel employee and is not eligible to compete in public daily fantasy contests or place sports betting wagers on FanDuel. The advice provided by the author does not necessarily represent the views of FanDuel. Taking the author's advice will not guarantee a successful outcome. You should use your own judgment when participating in daily fantasy contests or placing sports wagers.