The New England Patriots are enjoying their best season since Tom Brady retired. With Drake Maye as the quarterback and Mike Vrabel as the head coach, things got much better for the team. They have already doubled their total wins from the 2024 season and could take another step ahead against the New York Jets in Week 11.
But they’ll have to do so without one of their most important offensive players. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson, now in his fifth year with the team, is certain to miss the Thursday Night Football game against the Jets. He was estimated as a Did Not Practice (DNP) on Wednesday and was ruled out of the game.
What Happened to Rhamondre Stevenson?
This will be the third straight game where Stevenson will be unavailable for the Patriots. He suffered a toe injury during their Week 8 game against the Cleveland Browns, and hasn’t played since.
At the time, New England decided against placing him on the injured reserve, meaning that their belief was a short-term injury. However, this will be the third straight game with an absence for the running back. Playing on Thursday Night Football, giving him less time to prepare, did not help matters.
It’s fair to say that the Patriots have not missed a beat with him. Rookie running back TreVeyon Henderson became the starter in Stevenson’s absence, and he’s playing well. In the past three games, he has had 277 yards in 38 attempts, giving him an excellent average of 7.2 yards per carry. He has also scored two touchdowns during that span.
Our PFSN’s RB Impact metric agrees with Henderson being a more productive player since he became the starter. His grade of 75.5, combined with a C grade, bests Stevenson’s 61.1 grade, which earns him a D- grade. Stevenson has been criticized by fans for suffering three fumbles in just eight games.
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Although it’s never a good thing to miss a starter, the chances are that the Patriots will be just fine. The New York Jets have a 2-7 record and are already thinking about the 2026 season, trading key defensive players to stockpile draft picks. NFL games are never a given, but New England is a heavy favorite for this game.
It’s also a better idea not to force anything. Henderson is currently dealing, and with a playoff run looking likely, allowing Stevenson to return to 100% could make a difference when January comes.