2021 Fantasy Football Draft Prep: J.K. Dobbins injury fallout, including where Gus Edwards ranks now

Coming into the ultimate weekend of preseason motion, all we actually wish to see from a Fantasy Soccer perspective is for everybody to get via it wholesome. Sadly for the Ravens, that did not occur this yr, as operating again J.K. Dobbins suffered a knee damage towards Washington Saturday.

Dobbins needed to be carried off the sector and carted to the locker room after getting hit low on a display screen move, and early indications are that the damage will price him a big period of time, if not the entire season. ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported that going into Dobbins’ Sunday MRI, the damage was anticipated to the truth is be a season-ender.

Which makes drafting Dobbins an actual threat this weekend. He was a third-round choose in most drafts previous to the damage, however you clearly cannot take him there now. He ought to nonetheless be drafted except we discover out for certain it is a long-term damage, however I am unable to say I’d take him within the primary 140 proper now. When you get previous that time, you are speaking about comparatively low hit charges for many picks, and few of them have the type of upside that Dobbins would if he is ready to come again from this damage comparatively rapidly. 

Dobbins’ backup, Gus Edwards, must be going effectively forward of him at this level. I believe that goes with out saying, so the actual query is how early Edwards must be going. First, let’s set up what the baseline expectation can be for Edwards if he was going into the season because the No. 1 again with Dobbins out for good. In that occasion, Dobbins would rank twenty eighth at operating again for me — Dobbins was RB21 earlier than the damage for me, and I do not count on Edwards to be pretty much as good on a per-carry foundation or to have as many catches as Dobbins would have.

Clearly, Edwards would nonetheless be in a reasonably great spot in a high-volume speeding assault with loads of goal-line alternatives. Nevertheless, the dearth of reasonable passing sport upside means there’ll at all times be a comparatively low ceiling for Edwards’ fantasy worth. Edwards may rush for 1,300 yards and 10 touchdowns and nonetheless find yourself within the RB20 vary in per-game scoring if he does not have a lot of a receiving function, as anticipated. 

And I am not satisfied Edwards would simply exchange Dobbins’ workload within the offense. The Ravens wish to use a number of backs — together with Lamar Jackson, naturally — so I’d count on Justice Hill, Ty’Son Williams, or perhaps a again not presently not on the roster to have a strong function. In all probability not sufficient to be way more than a bench possibility for Fantasy, however sufficient to most likely maintain Edwards underneath 15 carries per sport. 

Which is all to say, you have to be cautious to not push Edwards too far up your draft boards in response to this news. I’d put him in the identical vary as Damien Harris if he was the projected full-time starter, however till we get some readability as to Dobbins availability, I would not be keen to take him till the eighth-ninth spherical. 

Hopefully we’ll get some news within the coming hours or days saying Dobbins prevented a severe damage, however proper now we’re caught within the awkward in-between zone the place we do not have sufficient info to make an knowledgeable choice. Edwards may have a much bigger function because of this damage, however do not push him too excessive in your rankings simply but, as a result of he might not be a must-start player even when he does get that type of function.