Ravens: 4 injured players ‘have a chance’ to return in Week 9

A handful of injured players could feature in the Baltimore Ravens game against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 9.

The Ravens currently sit at the top of the AFC North with the Cincinnati Bengals trailing behind after their upset loss to the New York Jets, but Week 9 will be an important test for Baltimore to establish dominance in the group.

Following a silent trade deadline, the Ravens could see several players return from injury.

Head coach John Harbaugh has given fans a reason to hope for the timely return of Nick Boyle, Derek Wolfe, Sammy Watkins, and Latavius Murray. Still, the fact that these players “have a chance” to play isn’t the most optimistic prognosis.

The Ravens are patiently waiting for these players to return from injury

Of them all, Watkins and Murray could affect Baltimore the most given each player’s significant role in the offense.

Despite recent solid performances by rookie Rashod Bateman, the Ravens will deeply benefit from the return of a veteran wideout like Sammy Watkins.

Watkins and Marquise Brown have commanded the lion’s share of targets through the 2021 season so far, and re-incorporating Watkins into the lineup should only boost his chemistry with Lamar Jackson.

The Ravens’ running back corps has much more room for improvement, and while there is no de facto RB1 in the backfield, Murray has shown the skill and physicality to get Baltimore crucial yards.

As for the other players, Nick Boyle should give star Mark Andrews a much-needed respite at times, and Derek Wolfe and Chris Westry will boost Baltimore’s defense even more.

This week’s slew of practices will likely determine which players are deemed healthy for Sunday’s game. Keep an eye on all these Ravens returning from injury in the near future.