Patriots Get Rhamondre Stevenson and Christian Barmore Back for Raiders Clash

Ian Rapoport dropped the Sunday morning injury update that New England needed to hear. Running back Rhamondre Stevenson, dealing with a knee issue, and defensive tackle Christian Barmore, nursing a bad shoulder, are both expected to suit up for the Patriots today.

If you were sweating your fantasy lineup or staring at a rushing prop wondering if Stevenson was going to be in street clothes, you can finally exhale. The Patriots are hosting the Las Vegas Raiders this afternoon, and they desperately need their heavy hitters on the field to keep the momentum going.

"Ian Rapoport reported both players are expected to play for New England."

New England is coming off a gritty 29-26 win over the Buffalo Bills last week. You do not pull off those kinds of divisional upsets without winning in the trenches, which is exactly where Stevenson and Barmore make their money.

Stevenson operating on a bad knee is still a better option than whatever emergency practice squad running back the Patriots would have had to trot out there. Meanwhile, Barmore with a banged-up shoulder is still going to require a double-team, unless the Raiders' offensive line feels like letting their quarterback get folded like a cheap lawn chair.

For the betting crowd, this completely changes the math on the ground game. Stevenson getting the green light means the Patriots can actually sustain drives and keep the clock moving, rather than relying entirely on the passing game to bail them out of third-and-long situations.

We will see how much of a workload Stevenson actually gets once the whistle blows against Las Vegas. But for now, New England has its offensive engine and defensive anchor ready to roll.