The New England Patriots will be without their leading rusher when they visit the Indianapolis Colts on Saturday night.
The team officially ruled out running back Damien Harris on Friday. Harris was limited in practice all week after leaving the Patriots' Week 13 win over the Buffalo Bills with a hamstring injury.
With Harris unavailable, expect rookie Rhamondre Stevenson to start at running back for New England. Stevenson has run well with and without Harris in the lineup this season, going for 100 yards and two touchdowns in a Week 10 victory over the Cleveland Browns while Harris sat with a concussion. The fourth-round draft pick also carried the load in the second half against Buffalo, finishing with 78 yards on 24 carries as the Patriots locked down a 14-10 win.
Since Week 8, when he became a gameday regular in New England's offense, the hard-charging Stevenson ranks 10th in the NFL and fourth among rookies in rushing yards. He's also fourth overall in yards per carry during that span among players with at least 80 rushing attempts.
Head coach Bill Belichick on Friday said he's been "impressed by Rhamondre's growth" this season and that Stevenson has "improved tremendously" since training camp.
"He's a player that's gained a lot of trust and confidence from his teammates, certainly from the coaching staff, really in every area," Belichick said. "The running game, the passing game, ball security, blitz pickup, run reads, run technique, so forth, using the blockers and understanding the blocking schemes. He just gets better every day he goes out on the field."
Stevenson has totaled 429 yards and three touchdowns on 100 carries this season, plus 12 catches on 15 targets for 117 yards. The Oklahoma product has appeared in nine of 13 games for the 9-4 Patriots, including each of the last six.
Harris' absence also could trigger a practice squad elevation. With third-stringer J.J. Taylor still on the reserve/COVID-19 list, the Patriots could choose to elevate running back Devine Ozigbo for additional depth behind Stevenson and third-down back Brandon Bolden.
Ozigbo, who joined the Patriots in late November, has appeared in 21 career games across stints with the Jacksonville Jaguars and New Orleans Saints, registering 13 carries for 72 yards and 11 catches for 25 yards.
Tight end Jonnu Smith also has taken handoffs out of the backfield this season and could be used as an emergency option in that role if need be, a la Cordarrelle Patterson in 2018.
Colts players said this week their game plan is to stifle the Patriots' productive rushing attack and force rookie quarterback Mac Jones to beat them with his arm.
"We're really going to try to make the game one-dimensional and see what (Jones) can do," linebacker Bobby Okereke told reporters Monday.
The Patriots also ruled out reserve offensive tackle Yodny Cajuste (illness).
Kickoff Saturday at Lucas Oil Stadium is set for 8:15 p.m. ET.
