Antonio Gibson

Patriots RB Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 69 yards in Sunday's blowout loss to Arizona. He out-carried Antonio Gibson 13-7.

Stevenson only out-carried Antonio Gibson 13-7 and caught one fewer pass than his backup. Both backs were explosive on a per-touch basis. Stevenson averaged 6.1 yards per touch while Gibson finished the day at 7.1. A committee approach is likely what's best for both backs and should be the expectation for Week 16. Stevenson is on the RB2/3 border for his upcoming matchup with Buffalo.

Gibson continued to play a change-of-pace role in this contest, seeing nine touches compared to 14 for Stevenson. The role suits him well as he averaged 7.1 yards per touch versus the Cardinals on the back of a 20-yard reception. He is up to 5.7 on the year. Gibson isn't going to usurp Stevenson as the starter anytime soon, relegating him to the RB5 ranks for his Week 16 date with Buffalo.

The good news is that Stevenson's touch and yardage totals were strong in this game after a quiet Week 12 that saw him amass 13 yards on eight carries without a single reception. The bad news is that Antonio Gibson looked far more explosive on his seven carries. He ran for 62 yards and found the end zone. Stevenson and the Pats will regroup during the bye, though they will emerge as considerable underdogs to the Cardinals in Week 15. Stevenson will remain a touch-based RB2 for that game.

Gibson scored his first rushing touchdown of the season on an 11-yard red zone scamper in the fourth quarter. He was explosive on nearly every one of his attempts en route to 8.4 yards per carry. Despite looking more spry than Rhamondre Stevenson in most games, Gibson is stuck in a change-of-pace role that hasn't seen him top seven touches since Week 6. That was a game Stevenson missed. Gibson will be a low-ceiling RB5 when he comes out of the Pats' Week 14 bye.