Ranking the NY Jets and every AFC East running back room

2. New England Patriots

• Rhamondre Stevenson
• Pierre Strong Jr.
• Ty Montgomery
• Kevin Harris
• J.J. Taylor

This was a really tough choice that ultimately came down to depth. Rhamondre Stevenson established himself as one of the best running backs in the NFL last season.

Stevenson finished his first full year as a starter with 1,040 yards and five touchdowns on an excellent 5.0 yards per carry. He also added 69 catches for 421 yards and a touchdown in the air.

Stevenson is a rare three-down bell-cow running back in the year 2023. He is a powerful and agile runner who doubles as a very effective receiver. He's everything teams look for in a modern-day running back.

It was very tempting to give the Patriots the top spot on this list, if only for Stevenson. Unfortunately, there are genuine concerns about the team's depth behind their star running back.

The remaining four running backs on the Patriots roster rushed for a combined 159 yards last season — 100 of which came from Pierre Strong Jr. on just 10 carries. Strong, Ty Montgomery, Kevin Harris, and J.J. Taylor combined for only 48 carries last season.

The Patriots are high on Strong, who flashed in limited action as a rookie. Montgomery is an accomplished pass-catching back, but he quite literally had negative rushing yards last season. Harris and Taylor are little more than dart throws at this stage.

If the Patriots went out and signed someone like Dalvin Cook, they would likely surge to the top spot on this list. For now, however, their lack of depth prevents them from surpassing their hated rivals.