Getty Baltimore Ravens RB Kenneth Dixon
The Baltimore Ravens have seen things change quite a bit at running back since early in the year. Originally, Kenneth Dixon was slated to have a big role out of the backfield for this team, but multiple players have received an opportunity at various points since his injury. And as NFL Network’s James Palmer revealed Saturday, the Ravens have activated Dixon from injured reserve.
Ravens RB Alex Collins placed on IR, RB Kenneth Dixon activated
Along with taking Dixon off injured reserve, former starting running back Alex Collins was also placed on IR. In turn, it’d be easy to expect that Dixon could dive right back in and receive a fair amount of work. Unfortunately, that may not be the case and the fantasy football outlook for the young Ravens back is an interesting one.
Let’s look at Dixon’s value from a fantasy perspective in Week 14 and beyond.
Kenneth Dixon’s Competition for Carries
This is a tough call for a variety of reasons, but the simple answer is that he is worth adding in most fantasy leagues, but it would be wise to temper expectations. The Ravens may have had questions at running back throughout the year, but following Collins’ injury, rookie Gus Edwards has emerged in a big way.
Over the past three games, Edwards has racked up 61 carries for 315 yards and one touchdown. He’s the Ravens’ unquestionable starter at this point and has intriguing fantasy value of his own. His emergence alone is enough to put a burden on Dixon’s value, but we also can’t be sure how the team will utilize their running backs.
Is Kenneth Dixon Worth Adding in Fantasy?
The situation with Edwards is one for concern, but there’s some risk even beyond that. Ty Montgomery is a big question mark and a bit of an unknown as well. He received 11 touches in Week 12 (eight carries, three receptions) and eight more in Week 13 (five of which were receptions). The former Green Bay Packers running back was acquired via trade, and it would make sense for the coaching staff to utilize him as the top pass-catching back still.
Dixon did have 30 receptions for 162 yards over 12 games in 2016 so there may be an opportunity for him to take some of that work from his backfield mate. The question of how pass-catching work will be handled may have become more clear in Week 13, as Montgomery saw seven targets to just one for Dixon.
On the bright side, Dixon did receive look solid as a runner during the team’s 26-16 win over the Atlanta Falcons, totaling 37 yards on eight carries. Even still, it’s a crowded backfield with question marks at this point.
Overall, it would be wise to add Dixon if you have a roster spot, specifically in larger fantasy leagues. I wouldn’t go as far as starting him immediately, but if he proves capable of carving out a larger role, there could be fantasy value there. He’s specifically a target in 14-team leagues or larger, but if you desperately need help in 12-teamers and have a roster spot, he’s a fine option to hold on the bench
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