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The New England Patriots made some moves within their backfield once again this past offseason, creating additional wrinkles for fantasy managers to ponder when making their 2024 draft picks and lineup decisions.
Rhamondre Stevenson returns to the backfield, fresh off a rewarding contract extension. New England also signed Antonio Gibson to fill a similar role to the one that Ezekiel Elliott held in 2023.
Who is the Patriots' RB1 in the 2024 season? Should I draft Stevenson or Gibson for fantasy football? Here's our analysis.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
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Who is the New England Patriots' RB1?
There's no question that Stevenson is the Patriots' No. 1 running back heading into the 2024 season. He's been the top name in this backfield for a while now, and the signing of Gibson isn't going to change that.
Injuries held Stevenson to just 12 games last year; he finished the campaign with 619 rushing yards, 238 receiving yards, and four touchdowns. That was a major step back from his 1,471 scrimmage yards and six touchdowns the year prior. If these stats tell us anything, it's that Stevenson can be a low-end fantasy RB1 if he stays healthy for 16 or 17 games.
Gibson won't be completely ignored, of course. He offers the Patriots with a change-of-pace back who can make an impact in the passing game, too. He was a top-13 fantasy running back in his first two seasons with the Commanders before his production was scaled back due to the emergence of Brian Robinson Jr.
Even with Robinson in the fold, Gibson maintained his fantasy relevance, totaling 742 receiving yards and four receiving touchdowns over the last two seasons (in addition to his production on the ground).
Rhamondre Stevenson
Saw 60%+ snaps in 9 games last year.
Averaged 14.8 fantasy points/game in them.
Would’ve ranked RB14 over the course of an entire season.
Cheapest workhorse RB in drafts.
Elite pass catcher. Prime age.
The PERFECT RB2 target. pic.twitter.com/PMT7uj7FRn https://t.co/nkHQBZY1ms
— Joe Orrico (@NoExpertFF) August 30, 2024
Who Should I Draft in Fantasy Football?
Stevenson currently owns an ADP of 63, making him the 21st running back off the board in drafts. That's a fair price given that he projects as a low-end RB2, but managers who draft him may get frustrated with the state of the Patriots' offense under Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye this year.
With that said, Stevenson has been productive in pass protection and the receiving game, both of which will get him on the field and earn him some extra targets, especially if Maye needs some extra help adjusting to NFL pressure.
Gibson has some depth appeal, too, especially in PPR leagues where his receiving prowess can be utilized. He's also an intriguing handcuff, just like Elliott was last year. Elliott was the RB7 from Weeks 13 to 18, and that's a reasonable range for Gibson if Stevenson misses more time.
As a fantasy manager, your best bet is to draft both or none. Gibson likely won't ever be worth starting in 12-team leagues unless Stevenson goes down. Having Gibson on the bench gives Stevenson managers some extra security down the stretch.
With that said, managers do need to be cautious given that the Patriots are projected for the NFL's worst record. A negative game script could lead to less production from the Patriots' running backs, so we could see Stevenson's (and Gibson's) points fluctuate significantly in 2024.
Antonio Gibson a fantasy sleeper this year? 🤔pic.twitter.com/PbE6GvHUrW
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) August 8, 2024
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