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Fantasy Football 2016 Preview: Baltimore Ravens running backs

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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A surprising move at the end of preseason left the Ravens running backs situation a little bit murky, but there is definitely fantasy football value in the players who remain.

Aug 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon (30) runs past Detroit Lions outside linebacker Kyle Van Noy (53) during the first half at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Ravens running backs have been battling it out for playing time all preseason with different players stepping up in different games.  While several of the options were having good preseasons, none had emerged as the clear cut challenger to incumbent starter Justin Forsett.  However, the Ravens released Forsett in a surprising move leaving fantasy owners scrambling to figure out who will get the carries in Baltimore.

Today, the Ravens are up in our series of running back previews, so let’s take a close look at each of the Ravens running backs, what their draft value is, and what you should expect from them in the coming season. The Ravens offense is a bit pass-heavy, but there is definitely room for a profitable back to emerge.

To help you figure out who to target and when to target them, we’ve been working our way through the NFL with a series of daily previews of each of the running back situations around the NFL.  So far we have examined the Colts,  Jaguars, Titans, Texans, Falcons,  Saints, Buccaneers, Panthers, Patriots, Jets, Bills, Dolphins, Redskins, Cowboys, Eagles, Giants, Broncos, Raiders, Chiefs, Chargers, 49ers, and Seahawks  running backs. Today, we’ll hop over to the AFC North to look at what the Ravens are planning on doing after releasing Justin Forsett.

Over the last few days of preseason, we’ll continue to examine the important fantasy options on each NFL team.  While most team’s just have one quarterback and tight end that are noteworthy for fantasy, every team has multiple running backs and wide receivers that you need to know heading into the season.

You can find all our coverage throughout the season on the FanSided fantasy football hub or check out the related content box. For more running back coverage, make sure to check out my top 15 fantasy football sleepers from Preseason Week 3, my top 10 breakout RB candidates, and my full RB rankings.

Stay tuned to our FanSided fantasy football hub all season where you’ll find fantasy coverage including sleepers, rankings, injury news, and overall strategy tips.  Another way to get all our coverage is to follow @FansidedFantasy on Twitter where I’ll be happy to answer any questions you have. I’ll also keep you up to date on all our latest coverage, and even help you through any draft-day dilemmas you find yours.

As we have for every team in our series, we start our look at the Ravens running backs with an overview of rushing offense on the next slide, and then we’ll take a look at each player on the depth chart individually. For each player, I’ll let you know their ADP (average draft position) and what their potential will be to contribute to your fantasy team.

Jul 31, 2016; Owings Mills, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Justin Forsett (29) and the running backs run across the field during the morning session of training camp at Under Armour Performance Center. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Ravens Running Backs-Overall Outlook

For the last two years, Justin Forsett has been the main go-to option in the Ravens backfield.  The 30-year old was a bit of a journeyman before a breakout season in 2014 with Baltimore.  He played for the Seahawks, Texans, and Jaguars before ripping off 1,266 yards and scoring eight rushing touchdowns two years ago.  Last year, he struggled with injury and ineffectiveness, and the other Ravens running backs pushed him out with strong preseasons.  Forsett was a surprise cut but there are already rumors that the Ravens could bring him back relatively soon.

The Ravens running backs are typically a pretty productive group although Baltimore has been a bit pass-heavy since the departure of fantasy-stud Ray Rice.  Baltimore ranked 25th in the league in run play percentage last year while finishing 26th in rushing yards, 24th in rushing yards per attempt, and 23rd in rushing touchdowns.  Part of those low numbers was due to Forsett’s injuries, but much of it also was a result of the pass-heavy system that puts the ball in Joe Flacco’s hands.

This offseason, the Ravens got healthy (a big improvement on the team that finished last year). They also added Kenneth Dixon in the fourth round of the draft giving them a strong, young corps of backs behind Forsett which allowed them to cut the veteran. With Dixon sidelined for the first few weeks of the season, it looks like a two-headed monster in the Ravens backfield to start the season with Terrance West and Buck Allen sharing the load.

Let’s take a look at each of the Ravens running backs coming into the season and what I think their fantasy potential is. We’ll examine the potential of each option, where they’re currently being drafted (according to fantasypros.com ADP), and what you can expect from them this season.

Aug 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Terrance West (28) rushes during the second half against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Terrance West

The early favorite for starter’s responsibilities from the Ravens running backs is former-Cleveland Brown Terrance West.  West is entering his third season in the NFL and bounced from Cleveland to Tennessee to Baltimore last season.  He played six games for the Ravens and ran 46 carries for 180 yards.

This preseason, West has looked good including scoring a pair of touchdowns in the opener while rushing for 25 years on nine carries. West was the team’s leading rusher in the all-important Preseason Week 3 when he totaled 43 yards on seven carries and was given the final week of the preseason off like most of the Ravens starters.

West isn’t an overly thrilling option for fantasy football, but he is worth owning especially for the first few weeks of the season.  If you draft an injured or suspended back, West could be a solid bridge play for the first few weeks since he should get most of the early-down and goal line work.

I don’t love West’s long-term upside, but his draft stock did improve significantly with Forsett’s release.  Right now he’s going in the 20th round as the 61st running back selected. Obviously, that’s still using a lot of data from before he was the presumed starter.  I see him as an end-of-the-roster option that does bring upside early, but don’t go crazy and draft him in a spot where you’ll need him to come through on a weekly basis

Aug 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Javorius Allen (37) jumps to makes a catch during the second half against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Javorius Allen

Javorius “Buck” Allen is the only other healthy running back as the season starts with any kind of experience.  One of the reasons the Forsett release was surprising was that the Ravens ended up with only four running backs on their roster and two are injured.  Allen is the other healthy option, but he had a pretty underwhelming preseason after a relatively solid rookie season.

The Ravens took Allen in the fourth round out of USC before last season.  He totaled 514 yards rushing and 353 yards receiving last season as a nice dual-threat third-down receiver.  He had three total touchdowns on the season and even totaled over 100 yards receiving on 12 catchiness in Week 13 against the Dolphins.

Allen played well toward the end of last season, but he has been stuck with the backups most of the preseason.  He even played a little in Preseason Week 4 when most of the starters were sitting. Allen looks like he’ll open the year as the third-down, change-of-pace option to West, but ultimately I think he’ll have more value as the season goes on.

To start the season, Allen could be the better of the two backs to own for fantasy purposes.  Especially in PPR leagues, I think he has the higher ceiling although West’s goal line work could be his one advantage.

Right now, Allen is going at about the same place in fantasy football drafts as Terrance West.  They’ll be stuck in a committee which makes both of them unreliable.  If you’re rounding out your roster, you can take a flier on Allen at the end of your draft, but don’t overspend thinking he’s the clear starter since he isn’t.

Aug 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Kenneth Dixon (30) runs during the first half against the Detroit Lions at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

Kenneth Dixon

Of all the Ravens running backs, I think it’s Kenneth Dixon who will have the most fantasy points by the end of the season. However, Dixon isn’t an option early in the season since he’ll miss the first four or five weeks of the year with a torn MCL.

Dixon was one of the better running backs in last year’s draft but he slid all the way to the fourth round where the Ravens scooped him up at pick 134.  It was hard to tell exactly what kind of back Dixon will be from his college tape since he played in the wide-open spread offense of Louisiana Tech.

So far in his time in the NFL, Dixon has drawn rave reviews and been very impressive. He led the team in rushing with 44 yards on his nine carries in Preseason Week 1 and added 63 more yards on 13 carries in the following two weeks.  He didn’t play Preseason Week 4 after tweaking his knee, but the Ravens were comfortable enough with his progress and his injury to let Forsett go this week.

Right now, Dixon is being drafted right next to his fellow-Ravens running backs as the 58th running back off the board somewhere near the 21st round.  If you can grab Dixon late and stash him on IR, you could get a nice late-round return once he gets healthy.  The risk with Dixon is that he’ll be stuck in the committee on his return and won’t get a chance to showcase his full potential as a three-down back.  If he gets that chance by the end of the season, though, he could be one of the better rookie rushers.

Oct 1, 2015; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Baltimore Ravens running back Lorenzo Taliaferro (34) runs the ball past Pittsburgh Steelers inside linebacker Sean Spence (51) during the fourth quarter at Heinz Field. The Ravens won 23-20 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Lorenzo Taliaferro

If injury or ineffectiveness causes the first three Ravens running backs to struggle, more help will be on the way later this season when Lorenzo Taliaferro returns from his foot injury. He  missed almost all of last season with a foot injury as well ending up playing just three games in which he totaled 47 yards on 13 carries.

Taliaferro had a solid rookie season back in 2014, but he hasn’t bene healthy enough to contribute since.  He will start the season on reserve/PUP meaning he cannot return before Week 7 at the earliest.

With all the uncertainty following Forsett’s release, watch the Ravens running backs closely early on this season to see how the workload is distributed.  Also keep in mind that Taliaferro will join the fray mid-season, so keep an eye on him in deep leagues if he is able to recover and get back on the field this season.

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