As the clock ticks toward the NFL draft in late April, the New England Patriots are racing to patch up a roster that is full of holes. They've signed a bunch of players, but overall, the roster's improvement leaves a lot to be desired. The Patriots' running back room needs an addition or two, yet CBS Sports still rates their top two among the best tandems in the NFL.
They are veteran Rhamondre Stevenson, who, after fumbling issues justifiably sent him to the bench, rebounded with a solid rest of the 2025 season. The other is 2025's rookie sensation TreVeyon Henderson, who was foolishly kept on the bench early because of his blocking skills, or lack thereof.
Once they started using him as a runner, he exploded for an impressive season.
Stevenson and Henderson are indeed a solid duo when Stevenson can keep the ball off the turf. Now they're getting some recognition, which is just fine. Yet it doesn't obviate the need for the Patriots to add depth at running back. Absent that, an injury to either would put the entire offense in jeopardy.
The Patriots have two solid running backs for the 2026 season
The addition of Henderson by Mike Vrabel and his personnel team in the second round of the 2025 draft was a great move. They needed explosiveness in the backfield, and TreVeyon Henderson provided it big-time. He gained 911 yards with a 5.1-yard per carry average and nine touchdowns.
That, coupled with Rhamondre Stevenson's return to form, made a huge difference. He logged the rock for 603 yards, a 4.6-yard per carry average, and seven touchdowns himself.
Now, CBS Sports' Carter Bahns has called the Patriots running back duo of Stevenson and Henderson the eighth-best in the NFL.
"Another batch of fumbles from Rhamondre Stevenson early last season opened the door for TreVeyon Henderson to carve out a significant rookie role. Once Stevenson took better care of the ball, this duo simply feasted on the New England Patriots' cushy schedule. Henderson provides explosiveness to the run game, Stevenson is a terrific pass catcher, and both can do a little bit of what the other offers.
They will get in each other's way a bit as long as they share this room, and Henderson is probably the long-term No. 1 option, but together they offer Drake Maye immense relief behind a subpar offensive line."
That's a fair analysis. While Stevenson is a bigger, more bruising runner, Henderson's explosiveness (he tormented opposition defenses for four 50+-yard 2025 touchdowns) is a game-breaker. If used correctly in 2026, Henderson is a lock 1,000-yard rusher, and a fumble-free Stevenson should go for 800 yards or more.
Regardless, the Patriots still need to add depth to the unit, and it's up to Vrabel and company to provide it this offseason.