Rhamondre Stevenson Looking like Cheap DFS Starter Week 1

TreVeyon Henderson Still Sidelined With Week 1 Nearing

New England Patriots running back TreVeyon Henderson was not present for the media-access portion of Sunday’s practice, according to ESPN’s Mike Reiss. “He hasn’t practiced since Aug. 24 when he sustained the injury,” Reiss noted, adding that the Patriots had just three practices remaining before their season opener against the Seattle Seahawks.

That opener carries extra weight: a Wednesday night matchup at Lumen Field and a direct rematch of Super Bowl LX, which Seattle won convincingly back in February. Henderson’s continued absence has made his status increasingly difficult to project with confidence. A report out of Boston roughly a week ago suggested optimism that the ankle injury wouldn’t cost him the opener, but that outlook has clearly shifted as he’s continued missing practice time with just days to go.

If Henderson can’t play, Rhamondre Stevenson and Corey Kiner are the only other running backs on New England’s active roster. Kiner, acquired in a trade with the Cardinals late in the preseason, has just four career games and 30 offensive snaps of NFL experience, making him an unproven option to lean on in what is expected to be a hostile road environment. Reiss reported that the Patriots have a strong chance of elevating Lan Larison and/or Hassan Haskins from the practice squad to add depth behind Stevenson if needed.

Henderson enters his second season fresh off a strong rookie campaign in which he rushed for 911 yards and nine touchdowns on 180 carries, adding 35 catches for 221 yards and another score through the air. He played in every regular-season and playoff game as a rookie, so this stretch of uncertainty is new territory for him early in his career.

Stevenson, for his part, has already been treated as the presumptive lead back by multiple outlets regardless of Henderson’s eventual status, a role that would only become more pronounced if Henderson is forced to sit out the opener entirely. With the Patriots’ first game of the season now just days away, Henderson’s practice participation, or continued absence, over the final stretch before Wednesday will be the clearest signal of where things stand.