The New England Patriots head to Germany, searching for any positive thing to happen to the game. It has been an absolute struggle the entire year for the Patriots as they enter the game against the Indianapolis Colts.
One area where they have struggled is on the ground, where the team is only 28th in rushing (86.9 rushing yards). With that in mind, if you need to start a Patriots running back in your fantasy football lineup, should it be Rhamondre Stevenson or Ezekiel Elliot?
Should You Start Rhamondre Stevenson or Ezekiel Elliott This Week?
In the Pro Football Network Start/Sit Optimizer, PFN’s Consensus Rankings say that Stevenson is the player to start. His projected 12.1 points include a projection of 42 rushing yards, four receptions, and 24 yards. That doesn’t seem like a big stat line, but it outperforms the consensus projection for Elliott (7.3 points).
I’m with the optimizer on this one as well, as Stevenson definitely feels like the play in this game. One area where Stevenson has a significant advantage over Elliott is the ability to make big plays. Last week against the Commanders, Stevenson had nine carries for 87 yards. However, 64 of them came on one play. He also had four catches for 42 yards, showing the ability to make plays in the passing game.
On the season, Stevenson is currently the No. 2 receiver on the Patriots, with 29 catches. Only Kendrick Bourne has more on the team, with 37. Elliott was brought to New England this year to give a 1-2 combination in the Patriots backfield. That hasn’t been the case for Elliott, as he has rushed the ball 73 times for 277 yards. He has looked slow at times this year and doesn’t have the ability he did in Dallas early in his career.
Stevenson’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
In the PFN Consensus Rankings, Stevenson is RB19 compared to Elliott being RB37. The Colts do struggle to stop the run, as they rank 24th against the run (125.6 yards). Indianapolis is coming off a really good defensive performance in the 27-13 win against the Carolina Panthers.
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Kenny Moore III had two interceptions in the game and was able to score touchdowns on both of them. They held the Panthers to 173 passing yards and had three interceptions. However, the Panthers were able to run the ball, as they had 138 yards on the ground.
That same exact recipe is something that Mac Jones has done multiple times this year. If Jones can limit the turnovers and play clean football, then Stevenson could have a big game on the ground. His versatility could be a big thing in this matchup, and he should be in line for a 100+ total yards.
Elliott’s Fantasy Outlook This Week
The idea sounded good in theory, but Elliott just hasn’t been able to come in and make the type of impact on the Patriots they were hoping for.
In a win against the New York Jets early in the season, Elliott carried the ball 16 times for 80 yards. He hasn’t had more than 36 yards in any other game this year. The Patriots are so inept at the wide receiver position, so the team has to give Jones as much help as they can. That is where Stevenson just makes so much more sense, as he can truly make plays in the passing game.
Looking to make a trade in your fantasy league? Having trouble deciding who to start and who to sit? Setting DFS lineups? Check out PFN’s Free Fantasy Football Trade Analyzer, Start/Sit Optimizer, and DFS Lineup Optimizer to help you make the right decision!
