Baltimore Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins was taken to the locker room on a cart after suffering a knee injury in the first quarter of Saturday night’s preseason game against the Washington Football Team.
Dobbins took a hit to the knee on a screen pass and his left knee bent backward. He was down on the ground in serious pain before being helped off the field, unable to put weight on the leg.
So, that certainly has the look of a potentially serious knee injury, and that would be devastating for Dobbins and the Ravens.
Dobbins was selected by Baltimore in the second round (55th overall) of the 2020 NFL Draft after starring at Ohio State. He proceeded to run for 805 yards over 134 carries (averaging a fantastic 6.0 yards per carry) with nine touchdowns in his rookie season, and added 18 receptions for 120 yards.
The 22-year-old was set to be the Ravens’ primary ball-carrier in 2021. If this injury ends up being serious (and even if it’s not a season-ender, it would seem likely to keep Dobbins out for some time, at least) Gus Edwards is likely to be the Ravens’ No. 1 running back, and they’d surely be on the hunt for more help at the position. This could all have major fantasy football ramifications as well.
I think RB14 is around where Edwards ends up if Dobbins went on IR and the Ravens didn't invest too much in another RB. If they use a draft pick to trade for one, or sign someone for more than the minimum, would still only fall to around RB18
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) August 28, 2021
This is unfortunately another example of why teams should be very careful with playing time for meaningful players in the preseason, and especially when it comes to the running back position.
UPDATE: An MRI revealed that JK Dobbins tore his ACL, according to ESPN’s Adam Schefter. Absolutely awful news for Dobbins and the Ravens.