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The New England Patriots will be without running back Damien Harris for “multiple weeks” after the running back suffered a hamstring injury in Week 5 against the Detroit Lions. Harris has been one of the two lead backs for New England, splitting touches with Rhamondre Stevenson. With Harris out, here’s how fantasy managers should look at the Patriots backfield going forward.
#Patriots RB Damien Harris is likely to miss multiple games because of the hamstring injury he suffered in Sunday's win over the #Lions, per source. Still getting tests, but the expectation is he'll be out for a bit.
— Tom Pelissero (@TomPelissero) October 11, 2022
Stevenson is likely elevated into the RB1 realm, as he’s set to get most of the volume now with Harris out. Pierre Strong Jr. is likely to get a few touches here and there, but Stevenson is the real beneficiary here. The Patriots still have big issues at the quarterback position and will likely attempt to win games on the back of their run game and defense. They ran the ball 35 times total, with Stevenson getting 25 carries for 161 yards.
The Patriots will play the Browns, Bears, Jets and Colts before a bye week. The Browns and Bears are among the worst run defenses in the league at the moment, so Stevenson is a great fantasy option with Harris likely to miss those games.