Ravens injury report Week 9: Rashod Bateman, Sammy Watkins questionable

The Baltimore Ravens will likely be without at least a couple of key offensive players on Sunday with the potential to be without a few more.

The Ravens injury report for Week 9 has been released, and although no players have been officially declared OUT yet, five have injury designations.

Running back Latavius Murray and offensive lineman Patrick Mekari are both listed as doubtful with ankle injuries. Meanwhile, wide receivers Sammy Watkins (hamstring) and Rashod Bateman (groin) as well as nose tackle Brandon Williams (shoulder) are all questionable.

Expect the Ravens to be without at least two of those players this weekend, although it’s not all bad news.

The Ravens might have all three of their top wide receivers play

For the first time this season, there’s a chance that the Ravens will have all three of their top wide receivers play in a game together. However, Marquise Brown is the only one of the three without an injury designation.

Bateman was a surprise addition to the injury report on Friday after tweaking his groin in practice. There was some initial concern, although head coach John Harbaugh sounded optimistic about his chances to play on Sunday.

As for Watkins, the veteran wideout has missed the team’s last two games with a hamstring injury but returned to practice this week and “has a chance” to play on Sunday, per Harbaugh.

It seems more likely than not that he plays this week.

Williams returned to practice in a limited capacity on Friday after missing the last two weeks with a shoulder injury. If the veteran defensive tackle can’t play, Justin Ellis would be in line for a larger role, similar to the one he played in Week 3.

Don’t expect either Murray or Mekari to suit up, however. Murray injured his ankle in the team’s Week 6 victory over the Los Angeles Chargers and has been sidelined since.

In his absence, expect the likes of Devonta Freeman, Le’Veon Bell, and Ty’Son Williams to once again control the backfield touches.

Meanwhile, Mekari suffered a high-ankle sprain in Week 7 and is likely at least another week away from returning. The Ravens are expected to start Tyre Phillips at right tackle in his place.

The Ravens will take on the Minnesota Vikings at 1:00 p.m. ET on Sunday.