Damien Harris expected to miss multiple games with hamstring injury, according to report

FOXBORO — Patriots running back Damien Harris is expected to miss “multiple games” with the hamstring injury that he suffered during the team’s Week 5 win over the Detroit Lions, according to NFL Network’s Tom Pelissaro. 

Harris is still undergoing tests, but the expectation is that he will be out of action for a bit. That will pave the way for Rhamondre Stevenson to take over as New England’s lead back, though the depth behind him will be tested for as long as Harris is out.

Harris departed in the first half of Sunday’s 29-0 win after picking up 11 yards on four carries. Stevenson was the only other running back dressed for the game, and ran for a career-high 161 yards on his 25 carries.

For the season, Harris has 257 rushing yards, averaging 4.5 yards on his 57 carries, to go with three touchdowns. Stevenson has racked up a team-high 372 yards on the ground off his 68 carries — good for a 5.5 yards per carry average — with one touchdown.

The run game is in good hands with Stevenson set to get the bulk of the carries, but New England’s depth underneath him is a big question mark while Harris is down. Ty Montgomery is on IR and is not close to a return, Bill Belichick said Monday. That leaves practice squader J.J. Taylor and a pair of rookies in Pierre Strong Jr. and Kevin Harris (also on the practice squad) on New England’s running back depth chart.

Taylor, now in his third year in New England, has played in 11 games for the Patriots. He’s shown a few flashes since joining the team in 2020, but hasn’t developed enough to earn a spot on the 53-man roster.

The 5-foot-11, 205-pound  Strong, who was drafted with the 127th overall pick, has played just three offensive snaps for the Patriots this season. Harris, taken with the 183rd overall pick in April, had a touchdown in the preseason, but was waived and signed to the practice squad ahead of the regular season.

The Patriots take on the Browns in Cleveland this weekend. The Browns have allowed 138.2 rushing yards per game this season, which ranks 28th in the NFL.