New England Patriots DVOA, Stats, & NFL Rankings

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (foot) was not spotted at the team's open portion of practice on Thursday, marking the second straight day he has missed. A Thursday "DNP" is always concerning, so fantasy managers should start to prepare for the possibility of him missing the Week 6 contest against the Houston Texans. If he misses, former Washington Commanders running back Antonio Gibson could see close to a workhorse role, while JaMycal Hasty would likely see some work behind him. The Texans have allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game to RBs this season, but rookie quarterback Drake Maye will likely target Stevenson or Gibson often in his first career NFL start. That said, whichever running back starts could see a slight boost in PPR setups.

New England Patriots running back Rhamondre Stevenson (calf) did not practice on Wednesday due to a calf injury, according to Patriots beat reporter Taylor Kyles. The 26-year-old didn't appear to be injured following the Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins, but nonetheless, his status is now worth monitoring. Last week, head coach Jerod Mayo said the team would start Antonio Gibson at running back following Stevenson's four fumbles in four games, but Stevenson still led the team in touches and rushed 12 times for 89 yards and a touchdown. He should continue to be viewed as the RB1 in New England, but if he can't play on Sunday, Gibson will become an attractive RB2 option. New England faces a Houston Texans' defense that has allowed the ninth-fewest fantasy points per game to running backs this season, but the former Washington Commanders' ball carrier could see 20-plus touches and be leaned on in rookie quarterback Drake Maye's first start. If Stevenson plays, he's a solid RB2 option.

New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye will make his first career start in Week 6 at home against the Houston Texans. The Patriots had been committed to starting Jacoby Brissett. However, they decided to make a change following the team's 15-10 loss to the Miami Dolphins last week. Maye briefly played in Week 3 against the New York Jets, completing four of his eight pass attempts for 22 yards and two rushing attempts for 12 on one drive, totaling 2.1 fantasy points. Hopefully, the change at quarterback can jumpstart a struggling New England offense. Yet, fantasy players shouldn't have high expectations for Maye or the offense this week or anytime soon. The rookie quarterback is only worth adding in standard-size superflex leagues. Meanwhile, Rhamondre Stevenson is the only Patriot that fantasy players can start with confidence until the offense shows signs of consistent production.

New England Patriots rookie quarterback Drake Maye has yet to make his first NFL start, but that could change in Week 6, according to Adam Schefter. Head coach Jerod Mayo had a noticeable tone change when it came to answering questions about the team's quarterback situation, and another game where the offense was barely able to move the ball could set the change in motion faster than previously expected. The Patriots are dead-last in passing yards per game, passing touchdowns, and completion percentage while coming in at third-to-last in passer rating. While they sit at 1-4 in the middle of a four-game losing streak, Maye could finally get his first start against the Houston Texans in Week 6.

New England Patriots tight end Hunter Henry caught two of four targets for 32 yards through the air during Sunday's Week 5 loss to the Miami Dolphins. Henry has caught just two passes in four of his five games this season, with the lone exception being a somewhat anomalous eight-catch, 109-yard outburst back in Week 2. Despite playing a season-high 93.3 percent of snaps on Sunday, the 29-year-old veteran continues to have his fantasy value limited within the Patriots' struggling offense. He remains off the fantasy radar in most leagues ahead of a Week 6 clash versus the Houston Texans.