Analyze Rhamondre Stevenson's matchup for week 10
Stevenson’s 20-carry, 74-yard day was another inefficient but usable fantasy outing; the Bears’ bottom-five YPC defense and his 78 % red-zone share keep him a low-end RB2 start.
Chicago entered Week 10 allowing 131.6 rush yds/gm and 5.0 YPC (28th), creating a paper-friendly spot for Stevenson. The Patriots controlled tempo throughout, feeding him 20 carries and 7-of-9 red-zone rushes, but the Bears still held him to 3.7 YPC and zero scores. The matchup was right, yet the stat line remained volume-driven rather than explosive.
Three-game stretch of 2.4, 1.6 and 3.7 YPC shows season-long efficiency slide, though touches (20, 15, 21) and snap share (62 %) never wavered.
Stevenson’s 2024 profile is the definition of a volume play. His 207 carries through nine weeks rank sixth among all backs, and his 78 % red-zone rushing share is top-three. Efficiency, however, has cratered: the 3.9 season YPC dropped to 2.9 over Weeks 8-10, and he has created only five runs of 15-plus yards on the year. Offensive-line injuries and condensed formations have compounded the problem—New England fields the league’s 32nd-ranked offense in total yards and scores on just 28 % of red-zone trips, limiting Stevenson’s touchdown ceiling even when he dominates inside-the-20 work.
Against Chicago the script broke perfectly: a one-score game throughout, no negative game flow, and a defense that had already allowed eight 70-plus-yard rushers. Stevenson churned out 74 yards on 20 carries, his best YPC since Week 7, but lacked burst—zero carries over 12 yards and only two avoided tackles. The Bears countered with light boxes (six or fewer defenders) on 55 % of snaps yet still limited explosive plays by winning first contact. Positive regression in touchdowns is probable given the usage, but the lack of passing-down involvement (one target) caps the weekly ceiling.
Moving forward, Stevenson remains matchup-proof only in the sense that 20-touch backs are rare. Until the Patriots commit to quicker outside runs or involve him as a check-down weapon, expect more 70-90-yard, no-touch afternoons. That keeps him in the low-end RB2 tier most weeks, with a safe weekly floor of 12-14 touches and touchdown upside baked into red-zone monopoly, but a ceiling limited by both line play and offensive environment.