Why Baltimore Ravens Keaton Mitchell could be a fantasy football star to close 2023

Keaton Mitchell did not have his best fantasy football game against the Los Angeles Chargers, but there is reason to believe that the Baltimore Ravens running back will be a game-changing fantasy football asset down the stretch of the 2023 season.

The Baltimore Ravens are using Keaton Mitchell in a variety of ways

Mitchell had just 64 rushing yards on nine carries, and two catches for 25 yards. However, his usage was much improved. It was a career-high in snaps, and more importantly, routes.

Keaton Mitchell has been fighting off Justice Hill as the Ravens pass down back. For the time being, it is a three-man committee, but if Mitchell can take the role away from Hill, he could get a lot of work. He ran more than 14 routes against Los Angeles afterward and just 17 routes in the four games prior to that. Beyond that, he is being used as a blocker more. He has nine blocking snaps on Sunday after 13 in the four games prior. Hill still has taken the two-minute drill snaps, but Mitchell had a key pass protection pickup in the red zone, and he caught a pass off of an extended play to pick up yards in the receiving game. He is being used more here. 

Arguably, more importantly, he is eating into the work of Gus Edwards. Edwards saw his carry rate drop from 55% in week 10 to 44% in week 11 and then 24% in week 12. Edwards usually gets more carries when the Ravens have the lead, but even up ten late against the Chargers, we saw Mitchell. 

Mitchell had two carries in the final 10 minutes of the game after not getting a touch that late the week prior. 

Mitchell is slowly gaining traction in all areas. He is catching more passes, blocking more, and grinding out the game with a lead more. After the bye week, the Ravens have a chance to expand this even more. With how explosive Mitchell is, it only takes one play for him to change games and win fantasy leagues. Now, with more playing time the chances this happens go up.