3 Ravens position groups that could be the best in the NFL in 2021
By Justin Fried
3. The Ravens might have the best running backs in the NFL
The Ravens might not have the most noteworthy names in their backfield. There’s no Christian McCaffrey, no Derrick Henry, no Saquon Barkley, no Alvin Kamara, no Dalvin Cook, and no Nick Chubb.
But when looking at the stats, it’s hard to argue that the Ravens don’t have one of the most talented running back rooms in the NFL.
J.K. Dobbins emerged as one of the league’s best young running backs with a spectacular rookie campaign that saw him finish with 805 yards and nine touchdowns on just 134 carries.
His 6.0 yards per carry was best among all running backs with a sizable 0.4-yard drop to the next-best player. Of course, his sample size was a little more limited than a few others, but he still had enough carries to qualify.
His running mate, Gus Edwards is also among the most efficient runners in football. Edwards has never averaged fewer than 5.0 yards per carry in a season in his career — the only player to accomplish that feat over the last three years.
Edwards’ 5.0 yards per carry (amazingly a career-low) still ranked 10th among all NFL running backs giving the team two of the top-10 most efficient running backs in the league.
This isn’t even including quarterback Lamar Jackson who led the league with a stunning 6.3 yards per carry. How much of this is due to the team’s scheme and how much is talent?
That’s impossible to say. But what is clear is that if the Ravens don’t have the best backfield in the NFL, they do have one of the best.