Apparently you do not need two fully functioning legs to be an NFL RB — at least that is what we learned from Baltimore Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins last year. Recovering from injury, his right leg was “super fast,” but his left leg was still lagging behind. With his injury history, what can we expect from Dobbins in fantasy football this year?
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What Happened to J.K. Dobbins?
The Baltimore Ravens drafted Dobbins in 2020, but he has only played 23 games for the organization throughout three seasons. Dobbins hurt his right knee in the final preseason game in 2021, tearing his ACL and missing the entire season.
.@Jkdobbins22 showing those receiving skills. ✋ pic.twitter.com/PhKJ7auQSr
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) August 9, 2021
He returned to the field in 2022 but struggled to produce, only accumulating 520 rushing yards on 92 attempts, with two TDs. History shows us that most players struggle to return to their previous level of success the season immediately following an ACL injury.
Later that season, Dobbins suffered another knee injury in Week 6 and was placed on IR. He returned in Week 14 to play the season’s final four games.
In mid-July, it was reported that Dobbins would begin the 2023 training camp on the PUP list, presumably still rehabbing his knee. However, about a month later, it was announced that Dobbins would be activated off the PUP.
Videos of him from Ravens camp began to surface on social media.
What Are Baltimore’s Options If Dobbins Misses Time?
If Dobbins’ injury is causing pause, the Ravens would have to lean on Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, and Melvin Gordon, who was signed to a one-year deal when Dobbins went on the PUP.
The Gordon signing was a move for veteran depth, but it is hard to imagine a 30-year-old RB taking the lead in a Ravens backfield who loves to run. Edwards seems to be the de facto RB1 if Dobbins goes down, but he, too, tore his ACL in 2021.
In the four games Edwards played with Dobbins sidelined, his highest fantasy finish was RB8. He accumulated almost 200 yards on the ground and three TDs during that span.
What Does This Mean for Dobbins’ Fantasy Ranking?
This is Dobbins’ final year on his rookie contract, and we often see players have great success “auditioning” for the future in this fifth year. A lot has been talked about the addition of OC Todd Monken to the Ravens, suggesting that more passing could be in the cards.
If that is the case, look for Dobbins to perhaps make his hay in the passing game and yards after the catch. Even with a small sample size, Dobbins has gotten targets, his most in 2020 with 24 targets that translated to 120 yards.
Some people postulate that Dobbins missing time at training camp may have been less about his rehab and more about his lack of satisfaction with his current contract situation.
If this is the case, Dobbins might be healthier than we all think and ready to have a fantastic bounce-back fantasy season, not to mention the difference in success that RBs have the second year after returning from an ACL injury than the first year. Our PFN Consensus Rankings have him at RB17.