Week 1 at Miami Dolphins
Mark Ingram had a down year in 2018 compared to his usual production. Following a four-game suspension to start the season, he finished with 815 yards from scrimmage and seven touchdowns, playing second fiddle to Alvin Kamara in the Saints offense. He arrives in Baltimore as the unquestioned lead back in a Greg Roman offense that features the run. Gus Edwards averaged 17.4 carries per game over seven starts in this offense last year, and if Ingram gets that kind of work, he should have no trouble reaching RB2 numbers each week.
Ingram gets a nice matchup in Week 1 against a Dolphins defense that allowed the second-most rushing yards in the league last year. Additionally, game script should be in Ingram’s favor, as the Dolphins look to be terrible offensively this season. Ingram should be in for a full workload and he has a high floor in a great matchup. He should be active in all leagues.
Fantasy Upside
Mark Ingram has continued to re-invent his game over the course of his career, and while it’s easy to forget his production in the shadow of Alvin Kamara, he averaged 84.1 yards from scrimmage per game since Kamara arrived. Ingram is a legit three-down back who caught 58 passes just two years ago. With the Ravens, Ingram should have every opportunity to put up big numbers in Greg Roman’s offense. Roman’s Bills in 2015 and 2016 led the league in rushing yards, and his 49ers from 2011 to 2014 never finished lower than eighth. He should have no trouble beating out the incumbent Gus Edwards, who averaged 16 carries per game as a starter last year.
Fantasy Downside
Ingram is 29 years old, and 30 tends to be the age where we expect to see a decline from the position. Also, a new team doesn’t always mean production, so there’s some uncertainty there. Ingram was suspended for four games last season for PEDs, so reliability could be a minor concern. Additionally, Drew Brees takes a lot of pressure off of the running game, whereas Lamar Jackson amplifies it. Jackson is bound to steal some goal-line work and some of the rushing workload from Ingram, as he averaged 79.4 rushing yards per game over seven starts last year.
2019 Bottom Line
Even if Ingram slides right into the Gus Edwards role, he’ll still have fantasy value. Factor in the 43 vacated targets left by Javorius Allen and Ingram has a very high floor. With a late-fourth-round price tag in 12-team leagues, he should be considered a safe and reliable RB2 option in all league formats. He’s well-worth his draft position and should thrive in this offense.
Week 19 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Mark Ingram rushed five times for 28 yards and added five receptions for 29 additional yards in the Saints’ Week 17 loss to the Panthers. With Alvin Kamara (rest) out, Ingram saw some early work before being removed in the first half. While Kamara remains the Saints’ No. 1 back, Ingram figures to play the same role that he did during the regular season when New Orleans hosts Philadelphia on Sunday. He’ll see plenty of early-down and goal-line work and considering the Eagles rank 26th against fantasy running backs, Ingram isn’t bad DFS option this weekend. He ranks as our RB9 for the Divisional Round.
Week 17 vs. Carolina Panthers
Mark Ingram rushed 11 times for 35 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 16 win over the Steelers while also adding an eight-yard reception. Ranked as our RB32 for Week 17, Ingram might not see much playing time on Sunday when the Saints host the Panthers. New Orleans locked up the No. 1 seed in the NFC last week and chances are high Sean Payton will rest a lot of his starters, including Ingram.
Week 16 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers
Mark Ingram rushed 12 times for 63 yards and caught both of his targets for 11 yards in the Saints’ Week 15 win over the Panthers. He was out-touched by Alvin Kamara 21-14. Ranked as our RB26 for Week 16, view the touchdown-dependent Ingram as an RB3/FLEX play for Sunday when the Saints host the Steelers. If you have a hunch that he’ll reach pay dirt, then start him. If not, seek out better options.
Week 15 at Carolina Panthers
Mark Ingram rushed 13 times for 52 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 14 win over the Bucs. Ingram also added one yard on his lone catch and found more running room than teammate Alvin Kamara. His touchdown came from 17 yards out to put the Saints ahead by two touchdowns. Ranked as our RB20 for Week 15, view Ingram as a touchdown-dependent RB2 against the Panthers on Monday night. It’s not a great matchup as Carolina ranks fifth against fantasy running backs this season.
Week 14 at Tampa Bay Bucs
Mark Ingram rushed seven times for 27 yards in the Saints’ Week 13 loss to the Cowboys, adding two receptions for one additional yard. Leighton Vander Esch and the entire Dallas defense stuffed New Orleans all night, imposing their will on a Saints offense that had a horrible night. The 28 yards from scrimmage were Ingram’s fewest of the season but both he and the entire Saints offense should rebound Sunday when they visit the Bucs. Ranked as our RB17 for Week 14, view Ingram as a low-end RB2 against a Tampa Bay defense that ranks 28th against fantasy running backs this season.
Week 13 at Dallas Cowboys
Mark Ingram rushed 11 times for 52 yards in the Saints’ Week 12 win over the Falcons. With New Orleans jumping out to big leads and running late in games, Ingram has now seen double-digit carries in three straight contests. His usage moving forward will depend on whether the Saints’ opponents keep games close. If New Orleans plays in blowouts, Ingram should continue to see double-digit carries. If the games are close, we would expect Sean Payton to stay with Alvin Kamara deeper into games. This Thursday the Saints travel to Dallas to play a Cowboys team that ranks as the No. 8 defense versus fantasy running backs. Ranked as our RB31 for Week 13, view Ingram as a RB3/FLEX play.
Week 12 vs. Atlanta Falcons
Mark Ingram rushed 16 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns in the Saints’ Week 11 win over the Eagles. He rushed for 38 yards on his first carry and helped sparked New Orleans’ eventual rout of the defending champions. Ingram remains the team’s No. 2 back behind Alvin Kamara but he has also topped 100 yards in each of his last two games. The Saints host the Falcons on Thanksgiving night in a game with a betting total listed in the high-50s. Ranked as our RB18 for Week 12, view Ingram as an RB2 for Thursday night.
Week 11 vs. Philadelphia Eagles
Mark Ingram rushed 13 times for 104 yards while hauling in three passes for 58 yards and a touchdown in the Saints’ Week 10 win over the Bengals. While Alvin Kamara continues to dominate snaps, Ingram is averaging 12.6 carries and 2.6 targets per game so he’s seeing the ball enough to stay in the RB2 discussion. The Eagles, the Saints’ opponent this weekend, rank ninth against fantasy running backs this season but Ingram is our RB16 for Week 11 and can be viewed as an RB2.
