Tag: Keaton Mitchell

Ravens fall to 7-4 as offense sputters in 18-16 loss to Steelers in Week 11

Ravens fall to 7-4 as offense sputters in 18-16 loss to Steelers in Week 11

Lamar Jackson will have to wait a few weeks to get that much-needed win over the Steelers after the Ravens sputtered in neutral for most of the afternoon in an 18-16 loss to Pittsburgh at Acrisure Stadium.

The NFL’s No. 1 ranked quarterback in QBR, Jackson was 16-33 passing for 207 yards (6.3 avg), one touchdown, one interception, and a 66.1 rating, the lowest of this season.

Jackson had four carries for 46 yards, while Derrick Henry was held to 65 yards (5.0 avg) on 13 carries and one rushing touchdown, tying the single-season franchise record for touchdowns.

Zach Orr’s maligned defense held Pittsburgh to 4-16 on third downs and 303 total yards, but Pittsburgh held the football for 36:22, compared to Baltimore’s 23:38.

The Steelers held the Ravens ‘ top-ranked offense to 329 yards and just 124 yards rushing. Justin Tucker’s two missed field goals will further magnify the two-point loss. On the day, Tucker was 1-3 on field goal attempts, while Steelers kicker Chris Boswell was a perfect 6-6, including a 57-yard field goal.

Baltimore will quickly regroup before a massive Monday night matchup against Jim Harbaugh and the 6-3 Los Angeles Chargers.

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Ravens RB Derrick Henry heaps praise on RB Keaton Mitchell

Ravens running back Derrick Henry heaped praise on fellow running back Keaton Mitchell

The Baltimore Ravens were able to steal running back Keaton Mitchell away from half of the NFL in 2023 undrafted free agency. He had a phenomenal rookie season before it was cut short due to a devastating knee injury, one that would cost him half of his 2024 as well.

Mitchell is back in action, and many are excited to see what he can do in his return to the field. Fellow running back Derrick Henry was asked about Mitchell, and in response heaped praise on the second-year rusher.

“Keaton [Mitchell] is a great player. Everybody saw the dynamic and the big-play ability that he had last year. He’s worked hard to get back, so [we’re] excited to have him back. Him getting there and making big plays is another asset for us on offense. Me and Justice [Hill] are helping him any way we can.”

Henry, Mitchell and Justice Hill form one of the most formidable running back trios in the NFL. Each has a unique skillset, and all three players can play off of quarterback Lamar Jackson in a big way.

Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell on his first game back from injury: ‘It felt good’

Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell shared his thoughts on his first game back since his major injury

The Baltimore Ravens defeated the Cincinnati Bengals by the final score of 35-34 in Week 10, improving their record to 7-3. Baltimore had to come back on Cincinnati again after they had to do the same in their Week 5 victory over the Bengals but prevailed on a failed two-point conversion.

The Ravens got back one of their electric playmakers on offense in the contest with running back Keaton Mitchell, who suffered a brutal knee injury late in the 2023 season. While Mitchell didn’t play much or make much of an impact, but said that it felt good to get back on the field.

“It felt good. That was my first time putting on shoulder pads since December [of] last year, so it felt good. [It was] just like a warmup game. It felt good. I was blessed.”

Mitchell will be ramped up over the course of the rest of the year, and his speed and agility have a definite role. He will factor in with Derrick Henry and Justice Hill in Baltimore’s backfield rotation to form a three-headed monster as formidable as any in the league.

Fantasy Football: 12 running backs to target on the waiver wire

Audric Estime is the top running back to target on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.

It looks like there’s been a changing of the guard in the Denver Broncos‘ backfield.

Broncos coach Sean Payton hinted last week that rookie Audric Estime could be more involved in the second half of the season, and that’s beginning to play out. Estime led the team’s backfield in snaps (26), carries (14) and rushing yards (53) on Sunday. Javonte Williams (one carry and two targets) seems to have been relegated to passing-down duties.

Estime could be Denver’s new RB1 going forward, and he should be considered a top priority on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.

Elsewhere on the waiver wire front, wide receiver Cedric Tillman (50%) should be rostered, Dawson Knox (1%) is a streaming tight end option and quarterback Bo Nix (50%) has quickly become fantasy-relevant.

Today, though, we’re focusing on the running back position. We’ve put together a quick list of 12 running backs to consider on the fantasy football waiver wire this week.

Fantasy Football Running Back Waiver Wire Targets

1. RB Audric Estime (1%): Estime’s efficiency (3.8 yards per carry) wasn’t great on Sunday, but Payton seems to be a big fan of the rookie, so his workload (14 carries) will likely trend up in the coming weeks.

2. RB Gus Edwards (21%): Edwards (10 carries for 55 yards) split time with J.K. Dobbins (15 carries for 50 yards) on Sunday. Playing in a run-heavy offense, both RBs could be fantasy-relevant going forward.

3. RB Tyler Allgeier (50%): Bijan Robinson remains the star, but Allgeier (11 carries for 59 yards) isn’t going away. Allgeier has standalone flex value and he’s an extremely important handcuff in case Robinson is ever unavailable.

4. RB Trey Benson (16%): James Conner (17 touches for 113 yards) and Benson (12 touches for 87 yards) were both productive on Sunday as the Cardinals cruised to a comfortable win over the Jets. That won’t happen every week, but Benson should be rostered. Note that Arizona has a bye in Week 11.

5. RB Tyjae Spears (42%): Spears (10 touches for 51 yards) wasn’t far behind Tony Pollard (13 touches for 63 yards) in Week 10. He’s worth a look in deeper leagues.

6. RB Braelon Allen (22%): Breece Hall is obviously the RB1, but Allen (seven carries and one target) remains involved. Allen could be a flex option if you’re desperate.

7. RB Cam Akers (16%): Aaron Jones had an injury scare on Sunday before later returning to the game. Akers is worth adding in case Jones does end up missing any time. With Jones missing part of Sunday’s game, Akers got 14 touches for the Vikings in Week 10.

8. RB Ray Davis (19%): He’s just a handcuff behind James Cook at this point, but Davis proved earlier this season that he’s a capable fill-in option if called upon in Buffalo.

9. RB Blake Corum (16%): The Rams have been giving Kyren Williams a heavy workload, and Corum could be an extremely valuable handcuff down the stretch if Williams gets banged up.

10. RB Kenneth Gainwell (2%): Saquon Barkley steps aside when the Eagles have big leads, giving value to Gainwell and Will Shipley (1%) when Philly is a big favorite.

11. RB Keaton Mitchell (5%): The speedy running back returned to action in Week 10 and the Ravens now have a “three-headed monster” at running back. Mitchell is worth stashing, especially in deep leagues.

12. RB Jaylen Wright (5%): De’Von Achane remains the RB1 in Miami, but Wright might be taking the RB2 role away from Raheem Mostert. Wright got the second-most carries (five) on Monday. Mostert was targeted three times as a receiver out of the backfield but got no carries.

Bonus: RB Jaylen Warren (62%) is already rostered in most leagues, but double-check just to make sure he’s not still available in your league. 

Roster percentages for players listed in this article were sourced from ESPN. For more fantasy coverage, check out our fantasy football hub.

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Are the Ravens set to unveil a three-headed monster at RB position?

John Harbaugh says the Baltimore Ravens will now have “a little bit of a three-headed monster” at running back position with Keaton Mitchell back

The Baltimore Ravens have Derrick Henry plowing towards a potential 2,000-yard season, and they’re set to add another horse to the stable.

After being out since last January, Keaton Mitchell returned to the lineup in Week 9, logging a handful of snaps in the Ravens win over the Bengals. Mitchell’s role will increase, and during his Monday news conference, head coach John Harbaugh hinted at a “three-headed monster” at the running back position.

Derrick Henry has 1,120 rushing yards, while Justice Hill has done most of his damage in the passing game, logging 27 catches for 272 yards and two touchdowns on the season. There’s only so much football to go around, and Mitchell could assume the role of a home run hitter and dual-treat in the passing game.

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Fantasy football waiver wire: Week 11 free-agent forecast

Here are the top waiver-wire targets in fantasy football entering Week 11.

With the fantasy football season entering its second half, the waiver wire remains arguably the most important tool to make that push for the playoffs.

There are another four teams on a bye in Week 11, including the New York Giants, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals and Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

We’ll be taking a look at the top available players rostered in Yahoo, using the 75% rostered mark (at least 25% availability) as the threshold. If you have any questions about prioritizing a certain player over another, don’t be afraid to hit me up on X, formerly Twitter, (@KevinHickey11). Your questions and comments are always welcome!

We also will be taking a look at some deeper players to stash and the top streaming options for the upcoming week.

Fantasy football waiver wire recommendations refer to 12-team league formats, unless specifically stated.

Check back for any updates throughout Monday and Tuesday as more injury news becomes available.

Top photos from the Ravens 35-34 win over the Bengals on Thursday Night Football

Top photos from the Ravens 35-34 win over the Bengals on Thursday Night Football

Underused pass catcher Tylan Wallace had three catches for 115 yards (38.3 avg) and one touchdown, including an 84-yard catch and run that resulted in Lamar Jackson’s longest touchdown pass of his career, as Baltimore held on for a 35-34 win at home on Thursday night. Bengals star Ja’Marr Chase almost spoiled the Purple Rising party, as the former LSU star logged 11 catches on 17 targets for 264 yards (26.4 average) and three touchdowns, with a long of 70 yards for a touchdown.

In another near-perfect performance, Jackson was 25-33 passing for 290 yards (8.8 avg), four touchdowns, zero interceptions, and a 141.4 rating. His AFC North rival, Joe Burrow, did his part for the Bengals, hanging in the pocket as he went 34-56 passing for 428 yards, four touchdowns, and zero interceptions.

The Ravens defense allowed 470 yards, as Cincinnati was 8-16 on third downs.   Baltimore was sloppy on the night, with 11 penalties for 81 yards.

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Ravens RB Keaton Mitchell to make his 2024 debut against the Bengals on TNF

Keaton Mitchell to be active for Ravens game vs. Bengals on Thursday

The Baltimore Ravens already have the thunder at running back, and Justice Hill is also solid in his role, but the lightning is set to hit the lineup just in time for a huge AFC North game against the Bengals.

After waiving Yannick Ngakoue, Baltimore is making Keaton Mitchell active for his first game action since tearing his ACL last January.

Barring any setbacks, Mitchell will make his regular-season debut Jeremy Fowler report.

Mitchell suffered a torn ACL in a 23-7 win over the Jaguars in Week 15 last season.

The undrafted rookie outplayed Melvin Gordon in the preseason last summer and was the most productive running back on the roster by the end of the season.

Mitchell was one of the highest-graded players on offense and finished his rookie year with 47 attempts, 396 yards, and two touchdowns in eight appearances with two starts.

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Ravens injury report for Week 10: Updates on Lamar Jackson, Keaton Mitchell

The Baltimore Ravens have ruled out ISaiah Likely and Keaton Mitchell for the Thursday night game against the Cicinnati Bengals

The Ravens released their final injury report for Thursday Night Football on Amazon Prime, and Lamar Jackson has no injury designation after missing a practice.

Baltimore ruled out Isiah Likely (hamstring) and Brent Urban (concussion), while Jalyn Armour-Davis is doubtful for the AFC North contest.

Running back Keaton Mitchell (knee) and Rasheen Ali (ankle) are questionable and will be decided at game time.

For Mitchell to play, Baltimore must activate him off the PUP list tomorrow.

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Ravens OC Todd Monken on new offensive pieces: ‘It’s exciting’

Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken is excited to get new offensive pieces

The Baltimore Ravens currently boast the top offense in the NFL, both rushing and throwing the football. The team has found massive amounts of success behind quarterback Lamar Jackson and running back Derrick Henry, with others contributing to the team’s dominance as well.

Despite their incredible year on offense, the Ravens are poised to get even stronger on that side of the ball with more talent being added to the mix. Baltimore acquired wide receiver Diontae Johnson from the Carolina Panthers and will be getting running back Keaton Mitchell back soon, things that Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken called “exciting”.

“Having really talented players and having a really talented staff and a gameplan that they understand, allows you to really function at a high level. But it starts with having really talented players. So, it’s exciting to get those guys back, and it also provides depth if you lose somebody. Really, that’s the nature of what we do – you’re going to lose players, so having quality depth, guys that can come in and function at a really high level when your expectations are really high. If your expectations aren’t really high, then well, that’s different. We’re the Baltimore Ravens; we’re expected to win. So whoever that is, we have to have enough depth to do that.”

Both Johnson and Mitchell will bring added elements to Baltimore’s offense that should make them even more explosive and dangerous on that side of the ball. With the Ravens’ defense struggling the way that they have been so far through the first half of 2024, every point will count moving forward.