Week 4 at Cleveland Browns
Kenyan Drake returned to Baltimore and played a supporting role last week, receiving no carries, but catching two of three targets for 31 yards. He could get more work this week if Gus Edwards misses time with a concussion and Justice Hill is still out with a toe injury, Drake will likely complement Melvin Gordon in the backfield. Still, the Ravens running back room looks crowded and hard to predict, and their top rusher is still Lamar Jackson. Leave Drake on waivers.
Week 14 at Pittsburgh Steelers
Kenyan Drake had more carries than Gus Edwards last week against the Broncos, though fewer than Tyler Huntley. He finished with seven rushing attempts and two receptions for a total of 46 yards. Stay away from the Baltimore backfield. It doesn’t hurt to roster one of these guys, just in case we get some consistency in workload down the stretch, but trusting any of them in lineups is a tall order. Sit him.
Week 13 vs. Denver Broncos
Kenyan Drake was limited to just two carries for two yards last week as Gus Edwards stepped off the injury report and directly into the lead role. Hold Drake for now, as the Ravens have been extremely fickle with their running back usage, but don’t have him anywhere near your lineup until we see he still has a role with a healthy Edwards in play.
Week 12 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Kenyan Drake was the starter last week against the Panthers with Gus Edwards out again, but he finished with just 53 total yards on 10 carries and a pair of receptions. Drake has been good at times this season, but the Ravens running backs have been hard to depend on for fantasy numbers. Drake has delivered just three legitimately good fantasy performances this season.
If Gus Edwards is out again, Drake has a nice chance at a rebound game against Jacksonville. The Jaguars rank 26th in aFPA to opposing running backs, and Drake has shown he can still produce when he gets a heavy workload. If Edwards is active, Drake should be considered a risky flex or RB3 option at best, but he may hit some fringe RB2 numbers if Edwards is a late scratch once again.
Week 11 vs. Carolina Panthers
Kenyan Drake had his best game of the season against the Saints before the bye last week. He ran for 93 yards and a pair of touchdowns on 24 carries, and he was a key part of why the team was able to eat clock and secure a victory in the second half. Drake is averaging 4.7 yards per carry as the sometimes-starter in Baltimore this year, and he’s scored four touchdowns over his last four games.
Drake isn’t likely to see the same workload he had against the Saints with Gus Edwards expected to be back in the fold, but with his success this season, it’s hard to think the Ravens won’t continue to use him in some capacity. Temper expectations, however, since we don’t fully know how the carries are going to shake out. We have him ranked just outside RB2 territory for Week 11.
Update: With Gus Edwards out, Drake is a solid RB2 option this week.
Week 9 at New Orleans Saints
Kenyan Drake had seven carries for 62 yards last week against the Buccaneers, and he added five yards and a touchdown on four receptions. Drake’s fantasy potential hinges greatly on the status of Gus Edwards, who is questionable for Monday night’s tilt against the Saints with a hamstring. If Edwards can’t go and Drake gets the start, he has some flex potential in deeper leagues, but it’s hard to bank on him without a solid backup plan in place on a Monday night game. If Edwards starts, Drake is too risky from a workload perspective to be in starting lineups. If you have both Edwards and Drake, you can hedge and play the starter, but if you only have one of them, it’s best to look elsewhere for Week 9.
Week 7 vs. Cleveland Browns
Kenyan Drake had a nice game against the Giants last week, rushing for 119 yards and a touchdown on just 10 carries. He filled in for J.K. Dobbins, who left the game after his knee tightened up on him. Drake seems to be the primary backup running back in Baltimore, but he’s risky to bank on. Dobbins is still lurking around, and we could be a week or two away from the return of Gus Edwards. If Edwards and Dobbins are both out or limited going into this week’s tilt against the Browns, Drake has RB2 upside. Cleveland ranks 30th in aFPA to opposing running backs. If Dobbins and/or Edwards are active, however, stay away.
Update: With Dobbins out, Drake has some upside, though it's still risky to bank on him given the inconsistent workload in the Baltimore running game. Consider him an RB3 or low-end flex option.
Week 6 at New York Giants
Kenyan Drake had four carries and a reception for 27 yards last week against the Bengals. Drake has played a supplemental role since his 12-touch outing in Week 1, and don’t expect that to change with J.K. Dobbins back in action. Drake did see 42% of the offensive snaps last week, but his lack of production makes him difficult to trust in fantasy lineups. Keep him on waivers.
Week 3 at New England Patriots
Kenyan Drake struggled against the Dolphins last week with just eight yards on six carries. He’s in a three-person backfield with Mike Davis and Justice Hill, so even if J.K. Dobbins continues to miss time, he’s a risky option. He faces a tough Patriots defense this week and should remain on the bench, or even on waivers in most leagues.
Week 2 vs. Miami Dolphins
Kenyan Drake led the team in carries last week with 11, but still wound up with only 31 yards on the ground. He added 15 yards on a lone reception, but it was still an uninspiring performance overall in what should’ve been a pretty good matchup against the Jets. He did outsnap Mike Davis and Justice Hill by nearly triple each, which is a good sign if J.K. Dobbins is out for a second consecutive week. Drake has some upside against the Dolphins this week, who held the Patriots to just seven points in Week 1, but allowed 5.3 yards per carry to Damien Harris. Keep him in consideration as a desperation option in the event Dobbins is out again. If Dobbins plays, Drake doesn’t need to be rostered in most leagues.
