Stevan Ridley and Shane Vereen are competing for the lead running back role in the New England Patriots offense. Vereen helped himself significantly during Monday night's preseason game against the Philadelphia Eagles, according to the Boston Globe. He ran for just 20 yards on 10 carries, but had four catches for 29 yards.
Analysis: Steven Ridley ran for 25 yards on 10 carries, but was relegated to playing in the second half after losing a fumble on Aug. 14 against the New Orleans Saints. A hamstring injury prior to the Eagles game helped Vereen ascend the depth chart even further, and now it appears that there is a legitimate competition going on for the lion's share of carries in the Pats backfield. Whether either will earn enough of a role to be relevant fantasy-wise remains to be seen. While Vereen may have earned himself a slight edge between the 10-yard lines, Ridley's size would seem to make him better suited for goal-line carries.
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