Early in the season, it started to look like New England Patriots running back Stevan Ridley was slipping down the team's depth chart. Whether he's re-established trust or injuries and ineffectiveness to the team's other running backs, Ridley has found himself back in the team's circle of trust recently, and that continued Sunday in the team's 27-17 victory over the Miami Dolphins.
Stevan Ridley has third straight game with TD for fantasy owners
The Patriots’ running back has scored four touchdowns in his last three games. We break down the fantasy implications.
Stew Milne-USA TODAY Sports
Ridley didn’t score through four weeks of the season, then missed the team’s Week 5 loss to Cincinnati. Since then, though, Ridley has four scores in three games, including 79 rushing yards and a score on 14 carries in Sunday’s game.
The Patriots' other running backs -- Brandon Bolden and LeGarrette Blount -- were not nearly as effective Sunday. Bolden managed a touchdown, but only had 2.8 yards per carry on eight carries, for a total of 22 rushing yards. Blount had a higher average, of 4.2 on 11 carries, for 46 yards, but couldn't find the end zone.
Fantasy impact: It's starting to look like the Patriots' running game will get to where fantasy players thought it would at the start of the season, but in a roundabout way. Regardless, Ridley is re-establishing himself as the team's top running back going forward, and if he can continue his scoring streak, not even the eventual return of the injured Shane Vereen will displace him.
