Tag: Kevin Harris fantasy football

Breaking down the New England Patriots backfield

Does this backfield offer any value behind Rhamondre Stevenson?

Put bluntly, the New England Patriots were a disaster offensively in 2023. With arguably the worst quarterback situation in the NFL, the team struggled to sustain drives, finished 30th in total yards, and tied for last in points. The result was a complete overhaul of the coaching staff and quarterback room, with offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien replaced by Alex Van Pelt (most recently of the Cleveland Browns), and Mac Jones (Jacksonville Jaguars) swapped out for Jacoby Brissett and Drake Maye.

A return to competence would go a long way in breathing life back into the rushing attack after the Pats finished 26th on the ground (95.7 yards per game). Rhamondre Stevenson is back to once again lead the backfield, but Ezekiel Elliott returned to the Dallas Cowboys after one season in Foxborough. His spot on the depth chart now belongs to RB Antonio Gibson, who was signed to a three-year contract after spending his first four seasons with the Washington Commanders.

With the Pats set to open starting Brissett, a known game manager, as QB1, and then eventually move Maye, the third overall pick, into the role, the ground game figures to be featured. So, what does that mean for fantasy owners?

Breaking down the New England Patriots’ stable of running backs

Will there be anything of value behind Rhamondre Stevenson?

While New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick has more than earned his reputation as one of the best to ever do it, his decision to enter 2022 without a traditional offensive coordinator is open to criticism. Matt Patricia, now with the Philadelphia Eagles, served as the de facto OC despite a history on the defensive side of the ball. The results weren’t pretty with New England finishing 26th in total offense, 20th in passing, and 24th in rushing.

Those struggles led to the hiring of University of Alabama offensive coordinator Bill O’Brien to the same position with the Pats, a role he filled in 2011 before departing for head coaching opportunities with Penn State and then the Houston Texans. O’Brien has a lot of experience as a play caller — despite holding the title of OC for just one year, he called plays in New England for four seasons, beginning in 2008 — and he should bring a much-needed sense of cohesion to the offense.

While his experience working with quarterbacks should benefit quarterback Mac Jones’ development, there’ll still be a heavy dose of the running game as well. Gone is running back Damien Harris, who signed with the Buffalo Bills after leading the team in rushing in 2020 and 2021. The Pats also signed RB James Robinson as a free agent but released him less than three months later, ostensibly over durability concerns. So, let’s see who’s left and what we can expect in 2023.