Patriots RB depth chart How Ezekiel Elliott signing impacts Rhamondre Stevenson in fantasy football

Patriots RB depth chart How Ezekiel Elliott signing impacts Rhamondre Stevenson in fantasy football

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Ezekiel Elliott has a new home le s than one month before the start of the 2023 NFL season. The former Cowboys star is set to continue his career in New England after signing a one-year deal with the Patriots on Monday.Elliott had been available since Dallas released him on eve of free agency in March. The team had cut the No. 4 overall pick in the 2016 NFL Draft because of his diminishing performance, his increasing salary and the emergence of Tony Pollard as a starting-caliber running back.But now, Elliott will look to revive his career with the Patriots. He won't be asked to shoulder a load of 250-plus touches within the team's backfield, so that could provide the 28-year-old with an opportunity for a career renai sance.MORE: Just how will Elliott fit in with the rest of the Patriots' running back depth chart? Below is a look at where the veteran will slot in alongside the other six backs currently on the New England roster.1. Rhamondre StevensonStevenson will still be Tyler Thornburg Jersey the lead back for the Patriots even after the Elliott signing. The third-year back took over as the team's top runner last season and was a strong three-down threat, racking up 1,040 rushing yards and five touchdowns on the ground while adding 69 catches, 421 yards and a touchdown through the air. His involvement in the offense is not expected to change.That said, Elliott may vulture some goal-line carries from Stevenson, so the latter's fantasy value could diminish a bit. Still, he should be a top-15 fantasy scorer at the running back position provided that he can stay healthy.2. Ezekiel ElliottElliott figures to slot in as the Patriots' No. 2 running back after signing a one-year, $6 million with New England. The team needed some veteran depth behind Stevenson, and Elliott is expected to "bang it between the tackles" as his backup, per NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.New England loves Rhamondre Stevenson, but theyve been seeking running back to bang it between the tackles. Add that and Zekes prowe s in pa s blocking and it all works. He lands in NE. Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) Adding Elliott is a sensible move for the Patriots. The 28-year-old is coming off a down year during which he averaged a career-low 3.8 yards per carry, but he still managed 12 touchdowns. He has had double-digit rushing touchdowns in three of the last four seasons, so he should still be a quality short-yardage back.And perhaps with fever touches than the career-low 248 he saw last season, Elliott could show a bit of the explosivene s that once made him arguably the best running back in the NFL.3. Ty MontgomeryMontgomery was signed as a potential replacement for James White when he retired during the 2022 NFL offseason, but things didn't go as planned. He recorded just five touches for 13 yards in one game before suffering a season-ending knee injury.The Patriots still liked what they saw out of Montgomery enough to keep him around for 2023. Now, the 30-year-old will get a chance to serve as a third-down back for the Patriots and may get in some work at receiver and as a core special teamer, too.POWER Craig Kimbrel Jersey RANKINGS: 4. Pierre Strong Jr.Strong was in line for a larger role in the Patriots backfield but the Elliott signing may put a damper on that. Strong had mi sed a couple of practices before Elliott was signed, so this could also be an admi sion from the Patriots that he isn't quite at 100 percent with the season upcoming soon.Still, Strong will compete with Montgomery for the role of third-down and change-of-pace back with the team. Bill Belichick may just prefer to trust the veteran Montgomery early in the season; or perhaps he will just roll with whichever back is healthier as his No. 3 option.Strong, a fourth-round pick in the 2022 NFL Draft, had a solid rookie year in limited playing time. He totaled 100 yards and a touchdown on 10 carries and caught seven pa ses for 42 yards. He has excellent speed he ran the 40-yard dash in 4.37 seconds at the 2022 NFL Combine and his skills as a returner should give him a chance to see more playing time during his second season.5. Kevin HarrisLike Strong, Harris was a rookie that saw playing time for the Patriots in 2022. However, he didn't find as much succe s as his higher-drafted counterpart, totaling just 52 yards and a touchdown on 18 carries.Harris, a 225-pound bruiser, looked like the No. 4 back on New England's roster prior to the addition of Elliott. Harris has a similar skillset to the former Cowboy, so it seems like the Patriots may look to stash the second-year pro on the practice squad.6. J.J. TaylorTaylor landed with the Patriots as an undrafted free agent in 2020. He has managed to hang around since then despite bouncing between the active roster and practice squad.During his three seasons with the Patriots, Taylor has recorded 58 touches for 176 yards and two touchdowns in 12 games. At 5-6, it is hard for him to be more than a change of pace back, but he could still have a chance to stick on the practice squad given his pa s-catching ability.MORE: 7. C.J. MarableThe Patriots signed Marable just a couple of days before they added Jackie Bradley Jr Jersey Elliott to the mix. The 26-year-old back has starred for the USFL's Birmingham Stallions the last two seasons and helped lead them to consecutive league championships with his do-it-all ability out of the backfield.While Marable has a solid skill set, his late arrival to the Patriots will make it hard for him to earn a roster spot. The addition of Elliott will push him down the depth chart further, so unle s he shows out over the next few weeks, the best-case scenario for him would be to win a practice squad spot.If he can't do that, Marable could find himself rejoining the USFL as one of its premier skill position players.