Getty Mark Ingram II of the Baltimore Ravens
When Baltimore Ravens star running back Mark Ingram suffered a non-contact, lower-body injury in Week 16 against the team’s division rival Cleveland Browns, many Ravens fans expected the worst. However, once tests came back on the injury, those same fanatics were relieved to find out that Ingram sustained what was reported at the time as a “minor calf injury.” Baltimore opted to rest Ingram in a meaningless Week 17 game, ahead of a first-round bye in the playoffs. The Ravens believed this would serve as more than enough time for Ingram to get back to his normal dominant self for their potential Super Bowl run. All was going well for Ingram and his likely availability for Saturday’s game, until it wasn’t.
NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reported that Ingram was a full-go during the entirety of last week’s practice. Yet, Ingram was M.I.A. at practice this Tuesday, sending shockwaves throughout the league. A source close to Rapoport informed him that Ingram felt some tightness and pulled back to avoid re-injury.
At the time, Baltimore opted to stay hush on the topic, with head coach John Harbaugh declining to comment on his running back’s playing status.
Yet, as we inch closer to kickoff, Ingram’s once seemingly bleak chances of playing this weekend has shifted to strong optimism throughout the Ravens organization.
Follow the Heavy on Fantasy & Betting for all the latest betting news, odds, and picks
Ravens Optimistic Ingram Will Be Ready Come Game Time
Latest Update:
Baltimore Ravens running back Mark Ingram is indeed expected to play tonight vs. the Tennessee Titans, per Ian Rapoport. Rapoport did, however, report that it is doubtful that he will be 100%.
On Thursday of this week, the Baltimore Ravens officially listed pro bowl running back Mark Ingram as questionable for their Saturday night divisional-round tilt against the Tennessee Titans.
However, all signs point towards Ingram being ready to go come game time. According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a source informed him that the team expects Ingram to play on Saturday.
Ingram returned to the practice field on Thursday, albeit as a “limited participant” according to Ravens coach John Harbaugh. His participation in the team workout was Ingram’s first time practicing since sustaining his calf injury back in Week 16 of the regular season.
Word on the street is that Ingram seemed like his usual self during the 30-minute period of practice where media members were permitted to view, yet, no offensive drills were run during that span.
Ravens Own the Best Rushing Attack. . . EVER
Mark Ingram was phenomenal in his first NFL season with the Baltimore Ravens. The former Heisman Trophy winner rushed for 1,000+ yards for just the third time in his nine-year career. He also finished 2019 with 15 total touchdowns, a career-high, on his way to his third-ever Pro Bowl birth.
Ingram and quarterback Lamar Jackson helped Baltimore break the NFL’s single 16-game season team rushing record in 2019 with an astonishing 3,296 rushing yards. A record that had previously stood for 41 years.
While Ingram and Jackson were at the forefront of the team’s running game this season, Baltimore has more then enough bodies capable of producing at a high-level in their backfield if Ingram proves to not be at 100% this weekend.
Gus Edwards, fresh off a 130-yard rushing performance in place of an inactive Ingram, has now topped 710 rushing yards in each of his two NFL seasons, while owning a phenomenal 5.3 yards per carry average for his career.
Rookie Justice Hill has been used more sparingly than the rest of the backs mentioned above, however, he has found the endzone in each of his last two games, and is a more than solid receiving threat out of the backfield.
Edwards and Hill are no Mark Ingram, but if Ingram isn’t right come Saturday night, the team’s run game will prove to be in good hands.
READ NEXT: Ryan Tannehill Free Agent: Top 5 Landing Spots for QB