Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins has participated fully in the first two days of training camp, according to ESPN's Kris Rhim. Dobbins is returning from last September's torn Achilles but is seemingly on track for the start of the 2024 campaign.
Asked about the current depth chart in the Chargers backfield, Daniel Popper of The Athletic this week listed Gus Edwards up top, J.K. Dobbins second, rookie Kimani Vidal third, and incumbent Isaiah Spiller fourth.
Chargers RB Gus Edwards is sidelined with an undisclosed injury but is expected to be ready for the start of training camp, HC Jim Harbaugh said on Thursday.
Chargers RB J.K. Dobbins said Monday that he's 100% recovered from the torn Achilles he suffered last September. "It was like a walk in the park, it was like a sprained ankle," Dobbins said. "It was very easy, because I had the knee [injury] -- the knee was pretty hard. The Achilles was, I would say, easy, just because that's my mentality. It was pretty easy to me." We'll file this under "believe-it-when-we-see-it." Full health is not the same as full effectiveness. RB Cam Akers quickly made it back from an Achilles injury but hasn't been the same runner since. Dobbins still isn't a player to invest heavily in at this point. But we'll be keeping a close eye on him this spring and summer. The Chargers' backfield will be a key situation for fantasy owners to monitor, with Dobbins, Gus Edwards, and rookie Kimani Vidal duking it out for touches.
The Chargers added Troy RB Kimani Vidal in Round 6 of the NFL Draft. Despite offers from LSU and South Carolina, the Georgia native took his talents to the Sun Belt Conference. Vidal averaged 11.2 carries per game as a true freshman and led the team in rushing – something he’d do in all four seasons. But his workloads really picked up from 2022-2023 for the run-heavy Trojans. In fact, Vidal was among the busiest college RBs with 526 carries (plus 44 catches) over that stretch. He held up well, too, missing only one game due to injury in his career. At nearly 5’8, 213 pounds, Vidal has bowling ball size and runs with matching intensity. Per The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, the 22-year-old’s 94 missed tackles forced ranked second in the FBS last season. He’s not special out of the backfield, but Vidal’s tape shows a capable receiver with more pass protection refinement than the average rookie. He lands in a nice spot under run-loving HC Jim Harbaugh in a relatively wide-open backfield alongside J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards. It shouldn’t be considered a surprise if Vidal pushes for snaps in 2024.
Former Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins plans to sign a one-year contract with the Chargers, according to multiple reports. This comes after Dobbins visited several teams. He lands with the franchise that already signed his former teammate Gus Edwards. We'll see about the specific terms of Dobbins' deal, but Edwards landed a two-year pact worth $6.5 million total, with $3.375 million in guarantees. We'll bet that Dobbins gets significantly less coming off his September Achilles' tear (and checkered injury history). The former second-round pick will be interesting to watch this summer, especially in a backfield that could present open competition for touches. But Edwards stands as the better bet for work right now. And we'd bet on the Chargers adding a RB in the draft. For now, don't let Chargers RBs factor heavily into your draft plans -- despite their modest best ball ADP numbers.
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports that the Chargers have agreed to a two-year deal with former Ravens RB Gus Edwards. There are several interesting points here: 1) The quick signing points to the Chargers specifically targeting Edwards. 2) New Chargers HC Jim Harbaugh should be fairly familiar with Edwards, who has played all his NFL seasons to date under HC John Harbaugh. 3) There's plenty of available opportunity. There's been no indication the Chargers plan to bring back Austin Ekeler (though we'll see) to what was one of the league's worst backfields in 2023. Harbaugh and new OC Greg Roman, meanwhile, bring run-heavy backgrounds. You shouldn't get excited about Edwards. But he makes plenty of sense later in best ball drafts. Just beware of him flying up the ADP board in the wake of this signing. Check our best ball rankings to see where Edwards lands.
RB Gus Edwards' contract with the Ravens voided on Monday, setting him up to hit free agency next month. Edwards led Ravens RBs and set career highs last year with 198 carries, 810 yards, and 13 TDs. His 4.1 yards per carry was a career low, although Edwards still ranked a respectable 20th out of 49 qualifying RBs in NFL Next Gen Stats' Rush Yards Over Expected Per Attempt. Edwards turns 29 in April and offers next to nothing in the passing game. But he's still capable of helping as a between-the-tackles and short-yardage back. We'll see where he lands in free agency. The Ravens' RB depth chart, meanwhile, is topped by a couple of guys recovering from serious injuries in J.K. Dobbins and Keaton Mitchell. ESPN's Jeremy Fowler reported recently that Baltimore could target a RB "with pedigree" in free agency. Saquon Barkley, Josh Jacobs, Derrick Henry, Tony Pollard, and D'Andre Swift highlight the free-agent RB class.
Ravens RB Dalvin Cook has been elevated from the practice squad to the active roster. RB Melvin Gordon was released in a corresponding move. Cook is expected to play in Saturday's Divisional Round game vs. the Texans, according to his agency. Cook was abysmal with the Jets this season and joined the Ravens just a couple of weeks ago, so we're not optimistic about his odds of making a major impact this weekend. But his presence certainly doesn't help the fantasy outlooks of RBs Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
Ex-Jets RB Dalvin Cook is expected to sign with the Ravens ahead of the playoffs, according to multiple reports. That's a sensible addition for a Baltimore backfield down to Gus Edwards and Justice Hill as meaningful contributors. We'll see how Cook fits in. But unless Ravens coaches say so, there's no reason to expect Cook to leap ahead of either Edwards or Hill in role. Cook averaged just 4.5 carries and 1.0 receptions per game across 15 appearances this year with a Jets offense that hasn't been good. His 3.2 yards per rush and 5.2 yards per catch both sit well below his career marks in those categories. If you're playing playoff fantasy football, you can stash Cook late. We like the Ravens' chances of making a deep run. Just don't expect big things from Cook.
Ravens QB Tyler Huntley will start Saturday's regular-season finale vs. the Steelers, HC John Harbaugh said Wednesday. QB Lamar Jackson will get the day off after Baltimore clinched the AFC's No. 1 seed last week. We'll see whether Baltimore plans to play other key regulars like RB Gus Edwards, WRs Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham, and TE Isaiah Likely. They'd all make for risky Week 18 fantasy starts.
Monday night’s game vs. the 49ers gave fantasy managers a chance to see how the Ravens would split their RB workload after rookie Keaton Mitchell sustained a season-ending ACL injury in Week 15. Baltimore ended up favoring Justice Hill, who saw a team-high 13 touches and logged his second-highest snap share (62%) of the season. Teammate Gus Edwards was also involved (70 total yards, 1 rushing TD) and saw all three of the Ravens’ RB touches from inside the five-yard line on Monday night, per PFF. Managers looking ahead to Week 17 can feel good about starting both Hill and Edwards as RB3/flex options, though it’d be better to lean toward Edwards if you’re picking between them. They’ll be set to face a Dolphins defense that ranks as the sixth-toughest matchup per our adjusted fantasy points allowed, though Miami is tied for seventh-most red zone rushing TDs allowed (14) this season. Banking on Edwards, the goal-line option, is the more optimal play.
The Ravens elevated RB Melvin Gordon from the practice squad. He'll slide in as Baltimore's No. 3 RB behind Gus Edwards and Justice Hill following Keaton Mitchell's season-ending knee injury. Gordon carried 13 times for 53 yards across a pair of appearances back in Weeks 3 and 4, when Hill and Mitchell were hurt. Gordon can be left on fantasy waiver wires.
Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell tore his left ACL in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's win over the Jaguars. It looked like that kind of injury at the time, and HC John Harbaugh said after the game they expected Mitchell to miss the season. Multiple reports say the Ravens are optimistic for a full recovery. The timing, though, could challenge the start to Mitchell's second NFL season -- especially considering the importance of speed and explosiveness to his game. The rookie certainly remains worth stashing on dynasty rosters where possible. Mitchell won't be more than an end-of-draft flier (if that) for early 2024 best ball drafting, though. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill figure to split the backfield the rest of the way, including the playoffs. We'd also bet on Baltimore bringing RB Melvin Gordon back from the practice squad. He logged 13 carries and 3 targets across two games early this season, when the Ravens were dealing with multiple RB injuries (including Mitchell's first IR stint).
Ravens HC John Harbaugh said after Sunday night's win over the Jaguars that RB Keaton. Mitchell's left knee injury is expected to end the rookie's season. The team hasn't yet supplied details of the injury, but that's likely awaiting a Monday MRI. The rookie left the field with a lot of help, though, putting no weight on the joint and rode a cart to the locker room. We'll see what kind of return timeline Mitchell faces once the details become clear. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill worked near evenly after Mitchell left in the fourth quarter. Each had four carries before Edwards handled all three runs on Baltimore's final possession to run out the clock. Both will likely land in RB3 territory of our rankings for a Week 16 matchup with the 49ers. A Week 17 home date with the Dolphins looks a bit more RB-friendly.
Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell injured his left knee in the fourth quarter of Sunday night's game vs. the Jaguars. He took a cart back to the locker room and was quickly ruled out. This has the looks of a significant injury, but we'll update Mitchell's status when we learn more. His absence leaves Baltimore's backfield to Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
The forecast for today's Rams-Ravens game calls for a 97% chance of rain with winds of 10-15 mph and gusts up to 30. Expect lots of running from both offenses in this one. The over/under has dropped from 45.0 to 42.0 -- although the Ravens are still implied for a solid 24.75 points. See the updated projections for this game.
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