Team news: Baltimore Ravens | Page 13

What has changed: Tyjae Spears has served notice: He is the most talented running back acquired by the Titans since they drafted Derrick Henry in the second round in 2016. He’s going to matter this season.

I thought Jonathan Ward would make this team as the No. 2 third-down back, with Julius Chestnut essentially backing up Henry. But Ward hurt his knee in the preseason opener and, though Hassan Haskins is also nicked up now, he and Chestnut do enough on special teams to both make the team.

The story went on to say: Chestnut was the star Saturday with 98 yards rushing and a touchdown rushing and receiving. His TD catch was excellent, and everyone should listen to Vrabel when he says Chestnut, “embodies what we believe in.” It seems like a crowded backfield behind Henry, but it sounds like Spears could have a role in the offense with, perhaps, Chestnut an injury away from a significant role.

Sources: Ravens’ RB J.K. Dobbins, who has not yet practiced during training camp, is being activated today off the Physically Unable to Perform list.

Related players: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon

The Ravens have been indicating Dobbins would return to the team sooner than later. Many feel Dobbins was "holding in" as he's been rumored to want a new contract. Because of his injury history, he could need to prove his worth in what is the final year of his rookie contract. Dobbins was impressive in the second half of the season after returning from injury, putting up rushing lines of 15-120-1, 13-125-0, 12-59-0 and 17-93-0. In the playoff game he rushed for 13-62, but also caught four balls for 43 yards and he's expected to be more involved in the Ravens new passing offense this season.

Keeping Keaton Mitchell over Melvin Gordon. Gordon has looked good in training camp and showed some juice in the preseason opener. But Mitchell’s speed, elusiveness and return ability make him an intriguing prospect. With J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards eligible for free agency after the season, it makes more sense to keep a younger back.

Related players: Justice Hill

Gordon is 30, but despite looking pretty good up to this point he's considered on the bubble because teams usually side with youth. The story said it's possible the Ravens only keeps three RBs on the roster, but acknowledged there is plenty of injury history with Dobbins and Edwards. Of course, Dobbins remains out, but rumors and stories say his return to the team is close.

The Ravens activated WR Rashod Bateman (foot) from the PUP list, and he’s on the field today.

Related Players: Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers

The Ravens have a chance at one of the top receiving trios in the league if they fall into some good injury luck, and this is a good step in that direction. Even with Todd Monken running the offense, it's unlikely that there will be enough targets going around to support all three guys having a great fantasy year, but there's a good chance they will all pop up from time to time. Rookie Zay Flowers is currently our highest ranked option as the WR43.

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman, who remains on PUP (foot), ran on an adjacent field during training camp practice today. The former first-round pick moved well, and he could be getting close to returning.

On Friday, John Harbaugh said Bateman "has a chance to be out there pretty soon"

Related Players: Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers

The Ravens have a chance at one of the top receiving trios in the league if they fall into some good injury luck, and this is a good step in that direction. Even with Todd Monken running the offense, it's unlikely that there will be enough targets going around to support all three guys having a great fantasy year, but there's a good chance they will all pop up from time to time. Rookie Zay Flowers is currently our highest ranked option as the WR43.

While the Ravens have been going about business as usual on the field with Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Melvin Gordon III and undrafted rookies Keaton Mitchell and Owen Wright. However, considering the massive role Dobbins could have in the Ravens offense this season and the installation of Todd Monken's new scheme, it's imperative that J.K. Dobbins gets in practice time before Week 1.

Per coach John Harbaugh, "You know, I don't know. It's a fair question, and there is a point in time when it does become a concern," Harbaugh said. "J.K. and I talked last night. We talk a lot. He wants to be out there, and he needs to be out there, just like any player does. Other than that, there's nothing else I can really add. I don't know when he's going to come back, but I know I'm going to be really happy when he does."

Things really feel like they're coming to a head here, with Dobbins still not participating in Ravens training camp. His status as a solid RB2 in fantasy football is teetering week-by-week.

Ravens have reinstated WR Rashod Bateman and activated him from the reserve/did not report list.

Related Players: Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers

This is great news as Ravens will hopefully go through all of training camp with their new-look wide receiver group. Beckham likely still offers the most upside of the trio but his floor is scary considering his recent injury history.

Veteran free-agent Melvin Gordon reached agreement today on a one-year deal worth up to $3.1 million with the Baltimore Ravens.

Related Players: J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards, Justice Hill

Keeping true to their typical backfield deployment, the Baltimore Ravens once again have a loaded running back depth chart, much to the detriment of anyone's fantasy ceiling. A $3.1M contract is certainly not just a camp body, so we should expect Melvin Gordon to have some sort of role on the team by Week 1, though it's certainly not going to harken back to early career levels. J.K. Dobbins was already a back-end RB2 for fantasy purposes, so this may put him more on the RB3 fringe.

Running back J.K. Dobbins told WJZ-TV on Thursday that he didn't participate in the Baltimore Ravens' mandatory minicamp this week because of his contract situation.

Related Players: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill

Dobbins, a second-round pick in the 2020 draft, has missed more games (27) than he's played (23) in his career. It's hard to see how he has a leg to stand on in this situation, so we'll see how long this mini-holdout lasts.

According to quotes from the article, new OC Todd Monken tried (unsuccessfully) to get Dobbins on the field, but the running back declined. This will likely all blow over but there's still a possibility that Gus Edwards and Justice Hill get better familiarized with the Monken offense and cut farther into Dobbins' already compromised role.

Head coach John Harbaugh said that Rashod Bateman, who sustained a season-ending foot injury last year that required surgery, got a cortisone shot recently, and the goal for him is to continue his rehab and be ready for training camp.

Related Players: Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers, Devin Duvernay

The Ravens are set up with probably the best receiving group Lamar Jackson has ever seen at the professional level if everybody is fully healthy. Bateman is currently ranked as the No. 1 wide receiver in fantasy terms, but that still only makes him a modest WR41. If he can prove that he is fully healthy well ahead of the regular season, we could see him sneak up the rankings a little bit.