Adam Gase or Brian Flores… it doesn’t look like it matters for Kenyan Drake. After disappointing fantasy owners in 2018, it looks like Drake will be looking at a dreaded committee or another change-of-pace role behind a lesser back. First, it was 55 year old Frank Gore and now it looks like the pedestrian second year back, Kalen Ballage, who will take touches away from Drake. So far though the first week of camp, Ballage has owned the first-team carries (until he left practice on Tuesday with an undisclosed injury), while Drake has been dealt with second-team duties and working as the team’s third down back. Either way, Ballage is on the rise in our most recent rankings, while Drake is trending downwards.
“I think he’s working hard,” RB coach Eric Studesville said of Ballage. “He’s done a great job in the classroom and he’s bringing it out onto the field. He’s putting himself in a position to compete and that’s what we want them all to do. I think all the guys are doing a good job at that.”
Judging by the coachspeak, it sounds like Ballage has impressed more than Drake in the film room and has an inside track on the early-downs (and even on the goal line).
Will Drake only find himself on the field on third down? “Play on first and second down. We played him a bunch on first and second down last year,” said Studesville. “I don’t think he’s [only] a third-down back. He’s going to determine what that role is by what he does out here.” Welp. That didn’t sound encouraging.
Ballage was one of our early camp risers, climbing to RB37 (+12 vs ECR). Meanwhile, Drake took a hit down to RB31 (-4 vs ECR). It looks like we have another annoying training camp RB battle on our hands.
