Ravens RB J.K. Dobbins had his 2021 season stolen by a torn ACL just ahead of Week 1. By all accounts, he was primed for a breakout campaign after earning the top spot in the depth chart during the offseason.
With only one season of game footage under his belt, Dobbins enters 2022 as a bit of a wild card. Looking back to his college years, it’s clear that he has more than enough physical tools to be a difference maker in the NFL. At Ohio State, Dobbins ran for 4.461 yards and 38 touchdowns while bringing in 71 receptions that totaled 645 yards and five touchdowns.
His junior season was his most dominant, where he ran for 2,003 yards and 21 touchdowns. Dobbins averaged 6.7 yards per carry that year, flashing a special combination of speed and strength. At the combine he cemented those skills by putting up 23 bench press reps and a 4.37 40-yard dash time.
Baltimore snagged him with the 23rd pick in the second round (55th overall) after trading TE Hayden Hurst to the Falcons to acquire the pick. In his first year with the Ravens, Dobbins was RB3 behind Mark Ingram and Gus Edwards. Still, he managed 151 fantasy points, which ranked #16 among running backs, and #1 on the Ravens. He was one of only three running backs in the Top 20 to start less than 10 games (Kareem Hunt and D’Andre Swift).
Health Analysis – Dobbins tore his ACL in the Ravens’ 2021 preseason finale against Washington. It was a major blow, but it won’t stop him from being productive in 2022. Baltimore has one of the top offensive lines in the league, which certainly bodes well for his potential production this year. He is also an endzone magnet, something he proved by scoring at least one TD in every game from Week 11 in 2020 until the end of the season. Dobbins may struggle early with trusting his knee, but we will have a much better idea of how he’s feeling once training camp starts. He will be a valuable RB2 this year, but I wouldn’t take him until the third round.
