Patriots player Rhamondre Stevenson is ready for the workload that his new contract brings

“I feel like I got exactly what I prayed for, exactly what I wanted,” Stevenson said. “Now it's just time to go ahead and play.”

During his first three seasons in New England, Stevenson shared runs out of the backfield with Damien Harris or Ezekiel Elliott. The running backs took turns on offense, with Stevenson often taking responsibility for third downs.

Now, under new offensive playmaker Alex Van Pelt, Stevenson expects to become a key player. Van Pelt has stressed the importance of the running game in his system, as evidenced by the use of top-notch running back Nick Chubb during his four seasons as offensive coordinator in Cleveland.

Although there are many question marks on offense, coach Jerod Mayo believes the running game is “one of the best things” the Patriots have shown this summer.

“I'm happy with the personnel we have out there,” Mayo said. “I feel like as a team we have to run the ball to win football games.”

Quarterback Jacoby Brissett agreed.

“I think we have a good group of guys in that room, guys that we definitely need to incorporate into that game plan,” Brissett said. “They all can do so many different things for us, whether it's catching, running, blocking. So we're definitely going to rely on them heavily this week. Especially when you're in a hostile environment, you want to set your equipment and set the tone for what our team is going to tackle. It starts with them.”

The Patriots also signed Antonio Gibson and JaMycal Hasty and have Kevin Harris available from the practice squad. But Stevenson is expected to bear the brunt of the load – and he has prepared for it – compared to his average of 13 appearances per game last season.

Mayo noted Friday that conditioning could play a role in Week 1 and early in the season, so it's possible the team will employ a rotation at certain positions. Stevenson, for his part, has been doing extra training to make sure he's ready for a high number of snaps.

“I've been trying to prepare myself the last few weeks by doing extra conditioning after practice and in the weight room,” Stevenson said. “Just sprints, running back and forth on the field, fan biking, nothing too crazy, just trying to get my heart rate up.”

The shaky offensive line will certainly be a factor in the viability of New England's running game, as the unit has struggled throughout training camp. However, as a physical player, Stevenson has previously shined, battling for yards after contact and forcing missed tackles.

Cincinnati ranked 26th in the NFL in rushing yards allowed last season, giving up an average of 126.2 yards per game, so Week 1 could be an opportunity for the Patriots to build a crucial part of their offense.

Other Patriots to watch in Week 1…

▪ Brissett: Quarterback is an obvious choice, but a lot depends on Brissett's performance. The Patriots have said time and again that they don't want to rush the development of rookie Drake Maye. Using Brissett to keep the offense running would be the easiest way for them to continue to be patient.

▪ Christian Gonzalez: The 2023 first-round pick shined in his first four games as a rookie before suffering a season-ending torn labrum. The small sample size showed Gonzalez has the potential to be a sure-fire cornerback, but training camp showed he's still vulnerable at times. If Cincinnati's top receiver Ja'Marr Chase plays, Sunday would be an early litmus test for Gonzalez in his second year.

▪ Keion White: With outside linebacker Matthew Judon traded to Atlanta and defensive tackle Christian Barmore out with blood clots, White should have a chance to play a major role in New England's pass rush. White showed in his rookie year that he is more than capable of breaking the line of scrimmage. The question now is whether he can do that on a consistent basis.

▪ DeMario Douglas: Douglas was New England's best receiver last season as a rookie sixth-round pick out of Liberty. The Patriots have bulked up their roster by signing veteran KJ Osborn and drafting Ja'Lynn Polk and Javon Baker, but Douglas should still have a significant share of receiving yards. How the Patriots will split playing time between Douglas, Osborn, Polk and Tyquan Thornton is still unknown, with Mayo saying only that all will play. But Douglas seems like a strong choice to lead the team in receiving yards again.

You can reach Nicole Yang at [email protected]. Follow her @nicolecyang.