Sportsnaut
New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson lost two fumbles in Week 3 against the Pittsburgh Steelers. With his issues protecting the football carrying over from last season, there’s reportedly a chance that New England makes adjustments with its running back committee on Sunday.
According to ESPN‘s Dan Graziano, there is “likely to be” some sort of consequence for Rhamondre Stevenson from the Patriots’ coaching staff in the short term following his lost fumbles in Week 3. It could lead to TreVeyon Henderson receiving more touches on Sunday versus the Carolina Panthers.
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However, it’s critical to note that an increase in usage for Henderson this week shouldn’t be taken as a sign of a changing of the guard in New England. Graziano emphasized that the Patriots’ coaching staff wants this to be a short-term measure, with Stevenson still expected to remain a key part of the offense for the rest of the year.
“Patriots coaches were saying even after the game that they still need to be able to rely on Stevenson — and to some extent Gibson — as part of the plan on offense. They seem reluctant to hand a full-time, between-the-tackles role to Henderson at this early stage…Even if there is a shift in Henderson’s direction this week, I’m not sure we should count on it being a permanent one
ESPN’s Dan Graziano on usage of New England Patriots RBs TreVeyon Henderson, Rhamondre Stevenson
Reducing Stevenson’s workload in Week 4 would primarily be about sending a message to the entire locker room. After former coach Jerod Mayo failed to enforce accountability in 2024, Mike Vrabel wants players to know mistakes will come with consequences.
This does, however, provide the rookie running back with an opportunity to prove himself in a more expanded role. Entering Week 4, opponents are averaging 137.7 rushing yards per game (eighth-most in the NFL) and 5.4 yards per carry (third-most) against the Panthers’ defense.
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Touches haven’t been easy to come by for Henderson through his first three NFL games. While he was the 38th overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, the rookie has only played 78 snaps this season (38.0% of the Patriots’ offensive plays) compared to 112 snaps (54.6%) for Stevenson.
We could see that snap distribution shift versus Carolina. For context, Henderson played 25 offensive snaps (35.2%) in his NFL debut, 19 snaps in Week 2 (31.7%), and a career-high 34 snaps last week against Pittsburgh (45.9%).
If Henderson makes the most of his increased opportunities and Stevenson’s ball-security issues persist, a shift in who leads this backfield could come later in the season....
