One series. That's how much the Ravens starters played against Washington last night, and that's how long it took for starting running back J.K. Dobbins to be carted off after taking a low hit to the knee that bent his leg backwards in a way human limbs shouldn't go. Sean McVay is nodding grimly.
I'm with McVay, who doesn't put his starters on the field in these exhibition games. Yes, I realize players get hurt in practice, and yes I realize players get hurt in Week 1, too. But those events need to happen. Practice activities can be controlled (running backs can wear non-contact jerseys, and defenders don't dive into teammates' knees on the practice field). Week 1 games actually count. The fact that Dobbins suffered this injury in a meaningless contest is aggravating. Maybe it will be the final blow to any NFL team playing key starters in these exhibitions. Maybe not. It would be for me.
If you're reading this looking for Dobbins' status, sorry. I'm waiting for the news like everyone else, and I'll update in the comments when it occurs. But watching the video of the play it looked Really Bad. Hope for a hyperextended knee or sprained MCL, brace for a torn ACL. Didn't look like something you tape up and laugh off.
For the purposes of this article, let's say Gus Edwards is the Ravens starting running back going forward. I've already had people asking me where he should be ranked. We're producing the update today and official rankings will be out early tomorrow morning, at which point we should know for sure what Dobbins' status is. Looking at the Thursday rankings, we had Dobbins 15th in Standard and 22nd in PPR among running backs. I think Edwards shows up in right about the same spots, probably a spot or two higher. Not because he's as good as or better than Dobbins, but because he doesn't have a No. 2 who's as good as Gus Edwards taking work from him.
Behind Edwards, we already had undrafted Ty'Son Williams ahead of Justice Hill. This is because Williams has actually looked good this preseason, while Hill has done nothing in his first two seasons in the league. You can say it's because he's been stuck behind two good running backs all this time, but the facts are that he's had occasional opportunities (and feel-good quotes from coaches proclaiming "We've got (4, 3) good running backs...") and never shown anything. He's a former fourth-round pick who's primarily played special teams. Throw a late-round pick at Hill in a draft, sure, whatever. But if you draft him where you had previously been selecting Edwards, I think you're throwing away a pick. I'd rather use a late-round pick on Williams and take my chances.
Circling back to Edwards, well, it looks like his time has come, and I have nothing bad to say about the guy. Yes he's been working behind a strong offensive line and with the league's most dangerous running quarterback on his side, but he's been consistently effective with those chances. He's had that No. 2 role for the last three seasons, and averaged over 5.0 yards per attempt in all of them. Among running backs with at least 125 rushing attempts, he shows up in the top 20 in effectiveness in all three seasons. Nobody can fail to notice who No. 1 is. Sigh.
| RUNNING BACK YARDS PER ATTEMPT, 2018-2020 (125+ CARRIES) | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Player | Att | Yds | Avg | TD |
| 2020 | J.K. Dobbins, Balt. | 134 | 805 | 6.0 | 9 |
| 2019 | Raheem Mostert, S.F. | 137 | 772 | 5.6 | 8 |
| 2020 | Nick Chubb, Cle. | 190 | 1067 | 5.6 | 12 |
| 2020 | Aaron Jones, G.B. | 201 | 1104 | 5.5 | 9 |
| 2018 | Aaron Jones, G.B. | 133 | 728 | 5.5 | 8 |
| 2018 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 192 | 1037 | 5.4 | 9 |
| 2020 | Derrick Henry, Ten. | 378 | 2027 | 5.4 | 17 |
| 2019 | Gus Edwards, Balt. | 133 | 711 | 5.4 | 2 |
| 2018 | Matt Breida, S.F. | 153 | 814 | 5.3 | 3 |
| 2020 | Miles Sanders, Phil. | 164 | 867 | 5.3 | 6 |
| 2018 | Gus Edwards, Balt. | 137 | 718 | 5.2 | 2 |
| 2018 | Nick Chubb, Cle. | 192 | 996 | 5.2 | 8 |
| 2019 | Devin Singletary, Buff. | 151 | 775 | 5.1 | 2 |
| 2020 | Ronald Jones, T.B. | 192 | 978 | 5.1 | 7 |
| 2019 | Derrick Henry, Ten. | 303 | 1540 | 5.1 | 16 |
| 2018 | Melvin Gordon, LAC | 175 | 885 | 5.1 | 10 |
| 2020 | Jonathan Taylor, Ind. | 232 | 1169 | 5.0 | 11 |
| 2019 | Mark Ingram, Balt. | 202 | 1018 | 5.0 | 10 |
| 2020 | Damien Harris, N.E. | 137 | 691 | 5.0 | 2 |
| 2020 | Gus Edwards, Balt. | 144 | 723 | 5.0 | 6 |
| 2019 | Nick Chubb, Cle. | 298 | 1494 | 5.0 | 8 |
| 2018 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | 261 | 1307 | 5.0 | 11 |
| 2018 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 219 | 1098 | 5.0 | 7 |
| 2020 | Dalvin Cook, Min. | 312 | 1557 | 5.0 | 16 |
| 2020 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 187 | 932 | 5.0 | 16 |
| 2018 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 237 | 1168 | 4.9 | 8 |
| 2018 | Derrick Henry, Ten. | 215 | 1059 | 4.9 | 12 |
| 2018 | Todd Gurley, LAR | 256 | 1251 | 4.9 | 17 |
| 2019 | Christian McCaffrey, Car. | 287 | 1387 | 4.8 | 15 |
| 2020 | Chris Carson, Sea. | 141 | 681 | 4.8 | 5 |
| 2019 | Kenyan Drake, 2TM | 170 | 817 | 4.8 | 8 |
| 2018 | Tevin Coleman, Atl. | 167 | 800 | 4.8 | 4 |
| 2018 | Isaiah Crowell, NYJ | 143 | 685 | 4.8 | 6 |
| 2020 | Jeff Wilson, S.F. | 126 | 600 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2019 | Josh Jacobs, Oak. | 242 | 1150 | 4.8 | 7 |
| 2018 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 304 | 1434 | 4.7 | 6 |
| 2020 | David Johnson, Hou. | 147 | 691 | 4.7 | 6 |
| 2020 | Antonio Gibson, Was. | 170 | 795 | 4.7 | 11 |
| 2018 | Mark Ingram, N.O. | 138 | 645 | 4.7 | 6 |
| 2018 | Chris Carson, Sea. | 247 | 1151 | 4.7 | 9 |
| 2018 | Marlon Mack, Ind. | 195 | 908 | 4.7 | 9 |
| 2019 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 171 | 797 | 4.7 | 5 |
| 2020 | Wayne Gallman, NYG | 147 | 682 | 4.6 | 6 |
| 2018 | Lamar Miller, Hou. | 210 | 973 | 4.6 | 5 |
| 2018 | Frank Gore, Mia. | 156 | 722 | 4.6 | 0 |
| 2019 | Saquon Barkley, NYG | 217 | 1003 | 4.6 | 6 |
| 2018 | Dalvin Cook, Min. | 133 | 615 | 4.6 | 2 |
| 2019 | Aaron Jones, G.B. | 236 | 1084 | 4.6 | 16 |
| 2020 | Melvin Gordon, Den. | 215 | 986 | 4.6 | 9 |
| 2019 | Miles Sanders, Phil. | 179 | 818 | 4.6 | 3 |
| 2018 | Alvin Kamara, N.O. | 194 | 883 | 4.6 | 14 |
| 2018 | Kareem Hunt, K.C. | 181 | 824 | 4.6 | 7 |
| 2019 | Dalvin Cook, Min. | 250 | 1135 | 4.5 | 13 |
| 2018 | James Conner, Pitt. | 215 | 973 | 4.5 | 12 |
| 2020 | Darrell Henderson, LAR | 138 | 624 | 4.5 | 5 |
| 2019 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 301 | 1357 | 4.5 | 12 |
| 2019 | Phillip Lindsay, Den. | 224 | 1011 | 4.5 | 7 |
| 2020 | Latavius Murray, N.O. | 146 | 656 | 4.5 | 4 |
| 2020 | James Robinson, Jac. | 240 | 1070 | 4.5 | 7 |
| 2018 | Sony Michel, N.E. | 209 | 931 | 4.5 | 6 |
| 2020 | Clyde Edwards-Helaire, K.C. | 181 | 803 | 4.4 | 4 |
| 2019 | Chris Carson, Sea. | 278 | 1230 | 4.4 | 7 |
| 2019 | Marlon Mack, Ind. | 247 | 1091 | 4.4 | 8 |
| 2020 | Devin Singletary, Buff. | 156 | 687 | 4.4 | 2 |
| 2019 | Carlos Hyde, Hou. | 245 | 1070 | 4.4 | 6 |
| 2019 | Latavius Murray, N.O. | 146 | 637 | 4.4 | 5 |
| 2019 | Leonard Fournette, Jac. | 265 | 1152 | 4.4 | 3 |
| 2020 | David Montgomery, Chi. | 247 | 1070 | 4.3 | 8 |
| 2020 | Cam Akers, LAR | 145 | 625 | 4.3 | 2 |
| 2020 | James Conner, Pitt. | 169 | 721 | 4.3 | 6 |
| 2019 | Adrian Peterson, Was. | 211 | 898 | 4.3 | 5 |
| 2020 | Kareem Hunt, Cle. | 198 | 841 | 4.3 | 6 |
| 2019 | Austin Ekeler, LAC | 132 | 557 | 4.2 | 3 |
| 2019 | Ronald Jones, T.B. | 172 | 724 | 4.2 | 6 |
| 2018 | Doug Martin, Oak. | 172 | 723 | 4.2 | 4 |
| 2018 | Adrian Peterson, Was. | 251 | 1042 | 4.2 | 7 |
| 2018 | Latavius Murray, Min. | 140 | 578 | 4.1 | 6 |
| 2020 | Myles Gaskin, Mia. | 142 | 584 | 4.1 | 3 |
| 2019 | Joe Mixon, Cin. | 278 | 1137 | 4.1 | 5 |
| 2020 | Ezekiel Elliott, Dall. | 244 | 979 | 4.0 | 6 |
| 2018 | Royce Freeman, Den. | 130 | 521 | 4.0 | 5 |
| 2020 | Kenyan Drake, Ariz. | 239 | 955 | 4.0 | 10 |
| 2019 | Tevin Coleman, S.F. | 137 | 544 | 4.0 | 6 |
--Andy Richardson