“Patriots Rule Out Rhamondre Stevenson for Sunday’s Game Against Texans”
Drake Maye won’t have one of the Patriots’ top playmakers available for his first NFL start. The team has ruled out starting running back Rhamondre Stevenson for Sunday’s game against the Houston Texans due to a foot injury. Stevenson sustained a lower-body injury late in last week’s loss to the Miami Dolphins and missed all practices this week.
Head coach Jerod Mayo acknowledged in a Friday press conference that the team would likely be without Stevenson. “We’ll see what happens today and moving forward, but we feel confident in the backs we have — Gibby [Antonio Gibson], [JaMycal] Hasty — and we’ll figure out any additional moves,” Mayo said.
Stevenson has been the Patriots’ most productive offensive player this season, leading the team with 356 rushing yards, three touchdowns, and 393 total yards from scrimmage. However, he has struggled with ball security, losing four fumbles in the first four games, which contributed to his benching at the start of the Miami game. Despite that, Stevenson still led the team with 89 rushing yards and scored a 33-yard touchdown.
With Stevenson sidelined, the Patriots will rely on their backup running backs. Antonio Gibson, who has had a solid season with 207 rushing yards and 86 receiving yards, is expected to start. Gibson also leads the team in yards per carry with 5.9. JaMycal Hasty will move up the depth chart, having rushed for 22 yards on five carries this season.
The team may also elevate a running back from the practice squad, likely choosing between Kevin Harris or Terrell Jennings. Harris, a 2022 sixth-round pick, has 117 career rushing yards and two touchdowns, while Jennings, an undrafted rookie from Florida A&M, joined the team this summer.
Additionally, it’s unclear if safety Kyle Dugger will play. Dugger, who returned to limited practice this week, is among 11 players listed as questionable for Sunday’s game.