Baltimore Ravens running back JK Dobbins will undergo an MRI later today, however the expectation is that he will miss the entire 2021 season. Dobbins was carted back to the locker room after suffering a left knee injury against Washington on Saturday.
Dobbins was expected to star in the Ravens backfield this year after the team parted ways with veteran RB Mark Ingram in the offseason. Only 22 years old, the former Ohio State product averaged 6 yards per carry and totaled 9 TD’s as a rookie in 2020.
The Ravens are now left with a backfield featuring Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Ty’Son Williams, and Nate McCrary. It is unclear whether the team will proceed with Edwards as their lead back or bring in a veteran RB to vie for the number one spot. Todd Gurley worked out for the team in the offseason but was ultimately not offered a contract.
Edwards has totalled over 700 yards on the ground in each of his first 3 NFL seasons, despite not starting more than 6 games in any campaign. The 26 year old has shown he’s more than capable of handling starting duties, and his career 5.2 yards per carry is nothing to sneeze at. Where the loss of Dobbins hurts the most is in the passing game. The Ravens were expected to lean heavily on the sophomore to act as a safety valve for Jackson to check down to. Edwards has only totalled 18 catches as a pro to date and isn’t exactly known for his hands.
If the Ravens do give the keys to the kingdom to Edwards, you can expect a serviceable fantasy output from him this season. However don’t be surprised to see other backs get rotated in, especially on passing downs all year long. Yahoo has already updated Edwards to their #21 running back in their latest rankings. That puts him just behind players like Miles Sanders, Josh Jacobs, and D’Andre Swift.
While Edwards will be a decent RB2 or Flex option this year, he won’t be in line for the bell cow workload that Dobbins was being groomed for. Hopefully your league hasn’t drafted yet, or you had the wherewithal to draft Dobbins’ handcuff. If not, head to the waiver wire ASAP.
-Kyle Skinner
Twitter: @JKyleSkinner