Isiah Pacheco vs Rhamondre Stevenson: Who Should You Start?
Isiah Pacheco and Rhamondre Stevenson are both viable fantasy running backs heading into 2026, but their 2025 production tells two different stories. Isiah Pacheco averaged 6.0 PPG across 13 games with the Detroit Lions, while Rhamondre Stevenson posted 11.6 PPG in 14 appearances for the New England Patriots.
A 5.6-PPG gap gives Rhamondre Stevenson the edge on paper, but paper does not account for Thursday night matchups, weather games, or a star defender returning from injury. The real question is not who was better in 2025, but who is the better start this specific week.
Both profile as early-down workhorses. Isiah Pacheco ran for 462 yards and 1 touchdowns; Rhamondre Stevenson posted 603 and 7. Goal-line share, red zone touches, and which team is favored are usually the tiebreaker when neither back offers passing-game volume.
Isiah Pacheco has his bye in Week 5, and Rhamondre Stevenson rests in Week 14. Managers rostering both need waiver wire depth at running back for those two weeks, and that is exactly the kind of planning DraftCall's matchup engine surfaces automatically so you are not scrambling on a Sunday morning.
