TreVeyon Henderson’s ankle injury has changed the shape of New England’s backfield for Wednesday night, and it leaves Rhamondre Stevenson in line for a much bigger workload against the Seattle Seahawks.
The reigning AFC champion Patriots had been running a clear two-man setup: Stevenson as the lead back and Henderson as the change-of-pace option. With Henderson officially ruled out on Tuesday, that balance shifts hard toward Stevenson, who should see more snaps in a Super Bowl 60 rematch in Seattle.
The matchup is still a tough one. Seattle’s defense is described as elite, and Stevenson didn’t do much against it in February’s Super Bowl, finishing with seven carries for 23 yards.
New England also may not find the end zone often, if at all. Even so, the path to fantasy value is pretty straightforward here: volume.
The expectation is that the Patriots will lean on the run and try to keep the ball away from Seattle’s pass rush and secondary, especially with Drake Maye under center. That game plan should put Stevenson in position to handle the bulk of the work, and he could be running behind what might be an improved offensive line.
He’s not an ideal play in a vacuum, but in a season-opening context, Stevenson profiles as a solid RB2. If you need a dependable fantasy starter, there are plenty of worse options than plugging him in against the Seahawks.
With Henderson sidelined, Corey Kiner should be the next man up if New England wants to give Stevenson a breather. Kiner is entering his second NFL season and first with the Patriots after arriving as an undrafted free agent in 2025.
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DK Metcalf Just Reopened A Seahawks Debate Fans Never Dropped
DK Metcalfs exit from Seattle was never just a roster move, and the way things have played out has only made the old debate louder. He asked the Seahawks for a trade before the 2025 season, landed with the Steelers, and Seattle responded by turning the page with draft-pick compensation and a major contract for Jaxon Smith-Njigba. From the outside, it was the kind of decision that invites instant comparison, especially after the Seahawks went on to win Super Bowl LX while Pittsburghs run ended in the wild-card round.
Metcalf, though, is not treating the result like a reason to revisit his choice. He has said he understands the consequences of asking out and has congratulated his former teammates, even as the Steelers committed to him with a four-year, $132 million extension. For Seattle fans, it keeps the conversation in a familiar place: whether the franchise got the timing right, whether Metcalf got what he wanted, and how much a championship ring changes the hindsight around a trade that was already going to be dissected for years. [Read more 🡒]
Cooper Kupps New Seahawks Partnership Goes Well Beyond Sneakers
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The broader push also reaches into girls flag football, where Brooks plans to recognize coaches and players as the sport keeps growing in the region. The company expects to spotlight those efforts at a Seahawks home game, turning what could have been a straightforward endorsement deal into a much wider effort around local football. For Kupp and the Seahawks, it is a partnership built as much on community footing as on what happens on game day. [Read more 🡒]
Seahawks Could Get A Big Backfield Boost Sooner Than Expected
Zach Charbonnets start to the season remains on hold, but theres at least a little more optimism around his recovery than there was when the Seahawks first braced for a long absence. The running back is on the physically unable to perform list after the knee injury he carried out of last season, which means he will miss the first four games, but coach Mike Macdonald said Charbonnet is progressing well and could be back sooner than the December timeframe that had seemed to be the target.
For Seattle, the possibility matters because Charbonnets return would give the backfield a jolt at a point in the season when teams usually start absorbing wear and tear. Still, nothing is locked in yet. He has to pass a physical before the Seahawks can activate him, and with no firm return date in place, the team is left waiting to see whether the encouraging signs turn into an actual midseason comeback. [Read more 🡒]