Patriots' Rhamondre Stevenson NFL's Most 'Undervalued' RB?

As the value of the running back position faces further questions, the New England Patriots may have one of the finer values in football in the form of Rhamondre Stevenson.

With his value and status in the midst of a fourth-round rookie contract, Rhamondre Stevenson has proven to be quite the find in the NFL running back bargain bin.

Set to embark on his third season with the New England Patriots, Stevenson is perhaps Foxborough's most potent offensive weapon. He's coming off the first four-digit rushing season of his career in his sophomore campaign, part of a 1,646-yard tally that ranks 18th in the NFL over the last two seasons. 

A combination of yardage and financials makes Stevenson the "most undervalued" NFL running back last season according to a study compiled by BetMassachusetts.com. At a $1.012 million cap hit and 1,461 all-purpose yards earned by Stevenson last season, the Patriots paid $693 per yard. 

With 10 rushers ranked, Stevenson paces a group of other players who are likewise playing on their rookie deal. All but one name is on his first deal, the exception being ninth-place Latavius Murray ($1,113 per yard), who spent last year between Denver and New Orleans.

With uncertainty at quarterback, receiver, and the very depth behind him, Stevenson should have a big opportunity to build upon those numbers this year. His 1,040 rushing yards earned last season (five yards per attempt, good for ninth among qualified carriers last season) came when he was still trying to pry carries away from Damien Harris. The latter has since moved on to a division rival in Buffalo, leaving a hodgepodge of inexperienced veterans and rookies behind him. 

The Patriots perhaps can appreciate the proven value in Stevenson as the position's financial luster has been called into question following the releases of high-profile backs like Dalvin Cook (Minnesota) and Ezekiel Elliott (Dallas). Prominent veteran names like Saquon Barkley (NY Giants) and Josh Jacobs (Las Vegas) are reportedly threatening to hold out for expensive long-term deals in attempt to pave the path forward for other running backs after them.

Stevenson beat Kansas City's Isaiah Pacheco ($755 per yard) for the relative honor, while Pro Bowl breakout Tony Pollard ($821) rounded out the top three for Dallas.

---

Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

Follow Patriots Country on Twitter and Facebook

Want the latest in breaking news and insider information on the Patriots? Click Here

More Patriots coverage from Sports Illustrated here.