Just like last year, the New England Patriots enter 2026 with a question mark at running back. Rhamondre Stevenson and TreVeyon Henderson are back and expected to carry the load, but how exactly they split the work remains somewhat of a mystery.
The Patriots are one of the NFL's rising offenses, so identifying the lead back among those two could lead to plenty of fantasy football success. Here's the case for each and how to pick between them.
Rhamondre Stevenson 2026 fantasy football outlook
While Stevenson dealt with fumble issues last season, his powerful running style made him a favorite of coach Mike Vrabel. Stevenson had 948 yards from scrimmage and nine touchdowns on the year, and those numbers should improve in 2026 with the Patriots offensive line healthier now.
TreVeyon Henderson 2026 fantasy football outlook
After a slow start, the
2025 second-round pick broke out in the second half of his rookie season with several explosive runs, finishing with 1,132 yards from scrimmage along with 10 total touchdowns. He's easily the most athletic running back on the Patriots and has home-run speed that could win you a week in one play. He's the upside play here.
Is Rhamondre Stevenson or TreVeyon Henderson a better fantasy pick?
Stevenson is clearly the better target here. He has Vrabel's trust in pass protection, while Henderson is one of the worst at his position in that area. Stevenson is also a more effective down-to-down runner even though he lacks Henderson's top-end speed. With Henderson dealing with an ankle injury as the season approaches, Stevenson may get an even bigger share of the workload than he did in 2025, making him a huge value in fantasy drafts.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Rhamondre Stevenson or TreVeyon Henderson: Which Patriots RB is better fantasy football pick?
