Rhamondre Stevenson says he is set to play Sunday, even with a knee injury that has left him limited in practice and tagged questionable for Week 5 against the Las Vegas Raiders.
The New England Patriots running back hurt his knee at the end of the Week 4 win over the Buffalo Bills, but he brushed off the issue Friday as minor. Stevenson also backed up that outlook with a clear message about his availability: he was "Ready to Go" for the matchup with Las Vegas.
That would be a welcome development for a Patriots offense that has leaned on Stevenson all season. He has handled 44 rushing attempts, which leads New England, and he also tops the team in rushing yards with 163, yards from scrimmage with 253 and total touches with 56. The production has come with a catch, though: Stevenson is averaging a career-low 3.7 yards per carry.
His role has been shaped by the backfield setup around him. Stevenson had a season-high 18 carries in Week 1 while TreVeyon Henderson was out with an ankle injury, but Henderson returned in Week 2 and the two have shared the workload ever since, just as they did last year.
Stevenson’s importance is even greater now because New England is still missing A.J. Brown, the star wideout who landed on injured reserve after Week 1 with an ankle injury. The Patriots will also be without key pieces on defense against the Raiders, including starting cornerbacks Carlton Davis III, who is dealing with a neck injury, and Christian Gonzalez, who is out with a shoulder issue.
Las Vegas has injury questions of its own. Star running back Ashton Jeanty is listed as questionable for the Week 5 game because of ankle and foot injuries.
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Jeanty was added to the injury report on Thursday, and the concern is not just one sore spot but a pair of them. With Mike Washington Jr. expected to absorb a bigger workload if Jeanty cant go, the Raiders suddenly have a backfield situation worth watching closely as the week moves on. [Read more 🡒]
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Kubiak said all options will be considered to bolster the group, which is exactly the kind of language that tends to set off the trade and signing chatter around this time of year. Jerry Jeudy, Tory Horton and K.J. Osborn have all surfaced as possible fits, and the Raiders now have to decide whether this is a short-term patch job or the start of a more significant reshaping of the passing-game depth chart. [Read more 🡒]
Ashton Jeanty Is Changing A Key Part Of The Raiders Offense
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The fit has not been perfect, though, and both Jeanty and Kubiak have been open about where there is still room to grow. The rushing game has had its stretches of struggle, and Jeanty has pointed to pass protection and sharper reads as parts of his own game he wants to clean up as the Raiders try to build on an encouraging start. [Read more 🡒]