Is Rhamondre Stevenson Or Antonio Gibson The RB1 For The Patriots?

After a tumultuous offensive season in New England, the Patriots are revamping the scoring side of their roster.

For starters, a new quarterback will be under center, whether it's veteran Jacoby Brissett or rookie third-overall pick Drake Maye, who gets the start in Week 1. They've also added a pair of rookie pass catchers (Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker) to an underwhelming wide receiver room to attempt to move on from being one of the league's worst offenses.

One of the more underrated offseason signings was the addition of running back Antonio Gibson. How much work will he get in red, white, and blue, or will Rhamondre Stevenson continue to dominate the touches in New England?

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Who is the New England Patriots' RB1?

Now healed up after a high-ankle sprain ended his 2023 season, Rhamondre Stevenson will seemingly regain his role as the lead running back in New England. The former fourth-round pick is entering a contract year and hopes to make enough of a splash to earn a second deal with the Patriots. With New England, Stevenson has rung up 499 carries for 2,265 yards, 121 receptions for 782 yards, and 15 combined touchdowns.

The addition of a running back like Antonio Gibson shouldn't have been a surprise. When Stevenson's injury forced him to sit, Ezekiel Elliott took over the starting role. Elliott's efficiency was nowhere close to his Dallas levels, but there weren't any other noteworthy running backs to steal touches. Kevin Harris (still on the New England roster) played sparingly, despite Elliott's meager 3.5 yards per carry. New England declined to re-sign Elliott, who then returned to the Cowboys. The team added Gibson as his replacement, a necessary signing given the state of the depth chart.

Often considered a receiving back given his background as a collegiate wide receiver, Gibson produced on limited touches in Washington last season. Playing behind Brian Robinson Jr., Gibson endured career-low marks (by a wide margin) in carries (65), rushing yards (265), and total touchdowns (3). Still, he averaged 4.1 yards per carry and 0.33 missed tackles forced per touch (tied for third among running backs). He continued to shine in the passing game, finishing seventh in the league in routes run among running backs (313) and averaged 5.8 yards per touch.

Antonio Gibson and Christian McCaffrey both averaged 1.2 PPR/touch in 2023. Seems good. pic.twitter.com/PQ1REqfCqG

— Zachary Krueger (@ZK_FFB) May 22, 2024

The change of scenery breathes new life into a once-beloved sleeper in the fantasy football community. The New England backfield still profiles as one with defined roles: Stevenson leads the charge on first and second downs, while Gibson enters the game on third-and-passing situations. Stevenson's reception numbers could take a dip (he's just one season removed from catching 69 passes), but there's little doubt that he'll lead the team in touches as long as he stays healthy.

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