Baltimore Ravens running back Gus Edwards has carved out quite the nice role for himself since being signed as a UDFA in 2018. Edwards has proven to be a capable complementary back with his straight-line running ability. After Edwards missed the 2021 season due to a torn ACL, what can fantasy football managers expect from the Ravens RB in the 2022 season, and is he a good value at his current ADP in fantasy football drafts?
Gus Edwards’ fantasy outlook for 2022
The Ravens had a tough go of it in 2021. They lost their top three running backs before the season even started. Edwards was projected to be the 1B behind J.K. Dobbins’ 1A. That was a credit to Edwards’ performance over the first three years of his career.
Edwards’ season-long numbers aren’t anything special. He’s never averaged more than eight PPR fantasy points per game. In 2019 and 2020, his usage was nearly identical. He averaged 8.3 and 9.0 carries per game and 5.3 and 5.0 yards per carry. Edwards was an efficient and effective straight-line runner.
With Edwards, it all comes down to usage. In games where he saw at least 10 carries, he averaged 10.2 ppg. While those aren’t incredible numbers, they’re good enough for fantasy RB3 production.
In games where Edwards saw nine carries or fewer, he averaged just 5.2 ppg. The question for fantasy managers entering the 2022 season is whether Edwards will see enough work to be useful in fantasy football leagues.
How the Ravens’ depth chart impacts Gus Edwards’ fantasy projection for the season
After Dobbins, Edwards, and Justice Hill all sustained season-ending injuries prior to Week 1 of the 2021 season. The Ravens were forced to piece together a makeshift backfield consisting of a UDFA practice squad back and a medley of washed-up veterans.
Heading into the 2022 offseason, rumors swirled that the Ravens were going to add a running back. The fact that Baltimore’s only addition was Day 3 satellite back Tyler Badie suggests they are confident in the health of Dobbins and Edwards.
Despite Edwards having proven himself as an NFL-caliber runner, he’s still a former UDFA. That places him at constant risk of being jettisoned for a higher draft capital guy. Fortunately, it doesn’t look like that is going to happen.
The Ravens’ 2022 backfield should be what we expected in 2021
This backfield should look like it was supposed to in 2021 — Dobbins as the 1A and Edwards as the 1B. While Edwards has never played more than 39% of the snaps, he’s also never been the clear RB2. This season, he is. Or rather, he will be when he can get back on the field.
Edwards’ recovery from his torn ACL is progressing slower than expected. Reports are he will likely miss Week 1.
In the Lamar Jackson era, the Ravens have never given their lead running back more than a 50% snap share. Mark Ingram played 50% of the snaps in 2019. Dobbins played 47% of the snaps in 2020. And we can just throw 2021 out the window.
The most likely split this season is something like Dobbins 50%, Edwards 40%, Hill/Badie 10%. Look for the Ravens to return to their run-oriented ways and for Edwards to see enough consistent volume to be a fantasy RB3. Not only that, but he will have high-end RB2 upside in the event of a Dobbins injury.
Gus Edwards’ ADP for 2022
Edwards’ ADP has plummeted with the recent news. He’s now going well outside the top 200 and outside the top 60 running backs. If positive news doesn’t break soon, Edwards might be off draft boards entirely.
We have Edwards ranked as our consensus RB54. While we are significantly above ADP, Edwards goes so late that the decision is either throw the dart in the last round and stash him on your IR, or … don’t.
If your league doesn’t have an IR spot, there’s no way you can even consider drafting Edwards. Roster spots are too valuable, especially early in the season. We need players who can potentially pop early. There’s literally a 0% chance Edwards can do that if he’s not on the field.
If you do have IR spots and want to grab Edwards in the double-digit rounds, by all means, do so. You’re probably not passing on anyone who is likely to make an impact anyway. Plus, once you put Edwards on the IR, you can throw a dart at someone else.