Gus Edwards

Edwards has been Mr. Automatic for Baltimore when healthy, both off the bench and in several spot starts when J.K. Dobbins was unavailable. Edwards was limited to nine games last year after missing the previous season with an ACL tear, but the reliable power runner still averaged 5.0 yards per carry, a mark he's hit every season. The arrival of new offensive coordinator Todd Monken could complicate his role, though. Prior coordinator Greg Roman's scheme featured a lot of runs from heavy packages with FB Patrick Ricard, which suited Edwards fine because he's much more adept as a runner than receiver. With Monken expected to open the passing game, though, Edwards will need to demonstrate value as a blocker and pass catcher. Dobbins' superiority there would be a problem for Edwards' snap count if the Ravens run less, as expected. In the last year of his contract, following a paycut, Edwards also faces mounting durability concerns after dealing with hamstring troubles following his Week 7 return last year from the 2021 ACL tear.

Edwards missed all last season after tearing his ACL in early September, an injury suffered just two weeks after J.K. Dobbins had an ACL tear of his own. The Ravens made it through last season with a patchwork backfield, and while they seemingly expect both guys to contribute this year, Edwards will miss at least the first four games on the reserve/PUP list. Before last year's injury, the 2018 UDFA had three consecutive seasons with more than 700 rushing yards and at least 5.0 YPC. The 238-pound Edwards is a perfect fit for Baltimore's scheme, attacking the line of scrimmage with power and giving defenders no time to adjust while they try to figure out if QB Lamar Jackson still has the ball. Edwards doesn't add much value as a receiver, limiting his fantasy ceiling, but he could eventually see a sizable workload on the ground if Dobbins misses any time and free-agent addition Mike Davis fails to gain traction.

As part of the Ravens' relentless running game, Edwards has averaged 5.0 to 5.3 yards per carry every season while compiling 711 to 723 rushing yards. However, his overall production ticked up in 2020 thanks to career highs in rushing touchdowns and receiving yards (albeit on only nine catches). There's no subterfuge to Edwards' running style. He takes the ball, bursts through the first hole he sees and then keeps his legs churning through contact until he's finally dragged down. The 26-year-old was once again among the league leaders in percentage of his carries taken between the tackles (87.1 percent) in 2020, with only Latavius Murray, Wayne Gallman, Ronald Jones and Joshua Kelley bouncing plays outside at a lower rate. The Rutgers product was expected to remain a productive chain mover and even looked on track to get his shot under the spotlight after teammate J.K. Dobbins suffered an ACL tear during the preseason, but Edwards' own availability is suddenly in question. Edwards sustained what appeared to be a serious non-contact knee injury in a Sept. 9 practice, putting him at risk not only to miss Week 1, but perhaps the entire season.

Edwards is perhaps the preeminent example of a back being the right fit for an offense. On another team, his lack of wiggle and bulldozer running style - not to mention his lack of receiving skills - might restrict him to a short-yardage role or even practice squad status. In Baltimore, Edwards offers an ideal complement to the threat posed by Lamar Jackson in the open field, and he's averaged more than five yards per carry as the guy who punches the defense in the face when it's expecting a dance. Edwards' success is also based on him knowing his limitations, and no back in the league bounced a lower percentage of their runs outside the tackles last season. That success won't save his spot on the depth chart, though. Mark Ingram remains the starter, and the surprise addition of J.K. Dobbins in the second round of this year's draft gives the Ravens a younger, more talented option for that smash-mouth role. Edwards should still thrive in offensive coordinator Greg Roman's scheme when he gets the ball, but it will be tough to reach triple-digit carries again.

Undrafted out of Rutgers last year, Edwards started his rookie campaign on the practice squad before eventually making his NFL debut Week 6. It wasn't until after the Ravens' bye week and Alex Collins' season-ending foot injury that Edwards moved into a significant role, exploding for 233 rushing yards and a touchdowns in his first two starts to seize the lead job for good down the stretch. His rise coincided with Lamar Jackson's, and Edwards' no-nonsense, bruising running style proved to be an important component in the team's improvisational, option-driven, run-heavy offense. But he doesn't offer much in the way of speed or elusiveness, and he showed almost nothing as a receiver, limiting him to early downs. Edwards' role is set to diminish with Mark Ingram arriving from the Saints and speedy fourth-round pick Justice Hill joining a backfield that also includes holdover Kenneth Dixon. Even so, Edwards should still get his chance to carve out some carries.