JK Dobbins RB1 SZN came to quite the screeching halt after finally taking control of the Ravens backfield in Week 11. Dobbins was finally given the keys to a fully healthy backfield, dominating the snaps (64 percent), running back rush attempts (75 percent), short down and distance snaps (67 percent), and hurry-up offense snaps (100 percent). While it looked like the rookie would be in the RB2 convo for the remainder of the season… the coronavirus said, “not so fast my friend.”
The team announced on Monday both Dobbins and Mark Ingram would miss Week 12 after testing positive for COVID-19, meaning Gus Edwards will be a hot commodity off the fantasy football Week 12 waiver wire (71 percent available) and will be in line for over 20 carries on Thanksgiving.
While the Steelers flaunt one of the nastiest fronts in the league, Edwards averaged over 5 yards a carry (87 yards and a touchdown) against the Steelers in Week 8 and should take just about every snap on Thursday. Although Justice Hill is still on the depth chart, and I would expect him to take some of the passing downs, he’s been an afterthought this season and he shouldn’t cut into very many snaps or touches.
The guys over at CBS noted in the 16 games where Edwards has had over 10 carries, he’s racked up over 1,200 yards and 4.9 yards per carry as the lead dog. He may resemble a plodder, but once he gets into a rhythm, he does pretty well. Overall, if you’re in need of a Week 12 running back streamer, Edwards is your guy this week.
Looking forward, Dobbins will have some time to recover from the coronavirus before the Ravens’ matchup against the Cowboys on December 3. Then, the team wraps up the fantasy season with the Browns, Jaguars, and Giants. If Dobbins can fully recover before Week 13, then he has a chance to be a true stretch run hero on a team that needs a much-needed offensive spark.
Time is ticking on the 2020 fantasy season, so break the bank on the Gus Bus if you need it.
