Rhamondre Stevenson or TreVeyon Henderson Start or Sit Advice for Week 3
10 seasons ago, the Jacksonville Jaguars came their closest to a Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, taking a 20-10 lead in the fourth quarter over the New England Patriots before heartbreakingly and controversially becoming another victim of the Patriots’ dynasty. Now, both teams have rebuilt, and the Patriots once again stand in the Jaguars’ way.
Both teams made the playoffs in 2025 and are expected to do so again this season, so their Week 3 matchup in Jacksonville could easily be a playoff preview. Each team is 1-1 so far.
Drake Maye’s blossoming into an MVP candidate was the impetus for New England’s shocking run to the Super Bowl in 2025, but it was bolstered by an unexpectedly strong running back committee, as rookie TreVeyon Henderson and veteran Rhamondre Stevenson combined for more than 2,000 yards from scrimmage and 19 scores. The pair has been less sharp so far in 2026, so both players will need to step up if the Patriots want to make it back to the promised land.
Henderson sat out in Week 1 after sustaining an ankle sprain during the preseason, but he was pretty sharp in Week 2 against the Pittsburgh Steelers, turning a team-high 16 carries into 76 yards, including a 39-yard score. He was clearly Mike Vrabel’s preferred option, as he saw the field for 60% of the team’s offensive snaps. Stevenson, on the other hand, only accounted for six carries, 43 yards, and 36% of snaps. He also wasn’t particularly efficient in New England’s season-opening loss to the Seattle Seahawks, with 18 carries for 51 yards and five catches for 44.
Whether either of Stevenson or Henderson is worth starting depends largely on Stevenson’s effectiveness as a receiver. There’s little comparison between the two as runners; Henderson was more efficient last season, and he ranks fourth in rushing yards over expectation per attempt after his first game of 2026 while Stevenson has lost yards relative to expectation. If Stevenson can be more efficient than Henderson in the passing game like he was last season, he could play his way into more snaps, especially given Henderson’s struggles in pass protection. Jacksonville could help with that; it has allowed the eighth-most receiving yards to running backs so far this season.
Ultimately, though, I’m not sure either running back is worth starting. The Jaguars have allowed the fourth-fewest rushing yards to running backs this season but the eighth-most rushing yards to quarterbacks, so Vrabel might be better-suited dialing up designed runs for Maye. Jacksonville also ranks 10th-to-last by Pro Football Focus’ coverage grades despite playing a pair of mediocre quarterbacks in Deshaun Watson and Bo Nix, so Maye could use this game as an opportunity to overcome his slow start as a passer. Jacksonville has also averaged the third-longest drives on offense, so the Patriots might not get as many snaps as they’re used to.
