Fantasy Alert: Patriots HC Belichick 'Loves' Rhamondre Stevenson, Says James White

Former New England Patriots running back James White believes Rhamondre Stevenson can continue to build on a career-best year from 2022.

White told Mike Reiss of ESPN that Stevenson's usage from last year signifies a strong endorsement from head coach Bill Belichick.

"It's not so often as a Patriots running back that you're out there that many snaps," he said. "Bill loves that guy, so he just has to capitalize on the opportunity."

Stevenson ran for 1,040 yards and five touchdowns and caught 69 passes for 421 yards and one score in his sophomore campaign.

With the offseason departure of Damien Harris, the 2021 fourth-round pick could yield an even stronger return in 2023. New England also waived James Robinson only months after signing him to a two-year contract.

However, ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported Sunday on SportsCenter four-time Pro Bowler Dalvin Cook is receiving "significant interest" and that the Patriots could be a candidate given Robinson's abrupt exit.

White told Reiss he thought New England might only seriously consider the idea in the event Stevenson gets injured.

Cook's arrival would undoubtedly put a dent in Stevenson's fantasy ceiling. As things stand, he's firmly in fringe RB1/RB2 territory.