Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Looks set to back up Henry
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Mitchell (knee) appears poised to work in a complementary role in the Baltimore backfield in 2024 after Derrick Henry agreed to a two-year contract with the Ravens on Tuesday, Brian Wacker of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Mitchell and Justice Hill now become the top backups to Henry, a four-time Pro Bowler and two-time NFL rushing leader, while J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) appears set to leave Baltimore in free agency and Gus Edwards is slated to join the Chargers. Both Mitchell and Hill boast speed and pass-catching chops, making them worthy complements to Henry's overpowering rushing style, though Hill has the benefit of not needing to work his way back from an ACL tear. General manager Eric DeCosta said in February that he's confident Mitchell will work his way back from injury and contribute during the 2024 season, according to Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com, but the timing of Mitchell's injury -- which he suffered in December -- makes his availability for Week 1 uncertain. Mitchell showcased elusiveness and big-play potential in limited action as a rookie, so if he can avoid losing his quick-twitch ability in the rehab process, he could prove to be a valuable contributor behind Henry, when healthy.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Moves to injured reserve
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The Ravens placed Mitchell (knee) on injured reserve Tuesday, Clifton Brown of the team's official site reports.
The move is merely procedural after the Ravens confirmed Monday that Mitchell sustained a torn ACL in his left knee this past Sunday at Jacksonville. With Mitchell's season over and J.K. Dobbins (Achilles) also on IR, Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will handle most of the backfield reps moving forward, though Melvin Gordon was signed off the practice squad to the active roster in a corresponding move.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: MRI confirms torn ACL
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Mitchell (knee) tore his ACL in Sunday's 23-7 win over the Jaguars, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Mitchell's injury was confirmed by an MRI. He will miss the remainder of the 2023 season, and his availability for the beginning of the 2024 campaign could be impacted by this injury. Mitchell finishes his rookie season with 47 carries for 396 yards (8.4 YPC) and two touchdowns, as well as nine catches for 93 yards on 11 targets. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill will likely lead Baltimore's backfield once again, just as they did while Mitchell recovered from a hamstring injury earlier in the season.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Expected to miss rest of season
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Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said after Sunday's 23-7 win over the Jaguars that Mitchell suffered a serious left knee injury and will likely miss the remainder of the season, Jamison Hensley of ESPN reports.
Mitchell went down in the fourth quarter and was carted to the locker room. The elusive runner had 73 rushing yards on just nine carries prior to getting hurt Sunday, and Mitchell will likely finish his rookie season with an average of 8.4 yards per carry (396 yards on 47 attempts). An official move placing Mitchell on injured reserve could be coming shortly if Harbaugh's pessimistic prognostication is confirmed.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Carted off in Jacksonville
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Mitchell was carted to the locker room shortly after being carried into the blue medical tent by staffers in the fourth quarter of Sunday's game against the Jaguars, Jonas Shaffer of the Baltimore Banner reports.
Mitchell went down grabbing his leg near the knee at the conclusion of a 13-yard run in the fourth quarter. He had nine carries for 73 yards and caught both of his targets for 15 yards prior to the injury. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill are the top remaining options in Baltimore's backfield with Mitchell hurt.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Sleeper RBs
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It's tough to fully trust Mitchell since the Ravens haven't turned the backfield over to him yet, but you can see the upside every time he touches the ball. He had 10 total touches in Week 14 against the Rams and averaged 6.0 yards per carry. He was at 7.1 yards per carry in Week 12 at the Chargers, and he's shown the ability to score from anywhere on the field. This could be a great week to get Mitchell involved in the passing game since the Jaguars are No. 1 in most receptions allowed to running backs. And eight running backs have scored at least 13.2 PPR points against Jacksonville this season. I like Mitchell as a flex in all leagues.
Mitchell rushed the ball nine times for 54 yards in Sunday's 37-31 win over the Rams. He added one catch on two targets for eight yards.
Mitchell led the Baltimore backfield with nine carries and 10 touches, though Lamar Jackson led the team with 11 rushing attempts. Mitchell continued to show off his explosiveness, as his longest gain of the day went for 27 yards, and he also managed four rushes of at least six yards. The Ravens haven't been willing to completely turn the rushing attack over to Mitchell, but he has at least eight carries in four of the team's last five contests.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Sleeper RBs
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Mitchell will hopefully continue to get more playing time for the Ravens following their bye in Week 13, and he's scored at least 10.9 PPR points in three of his past four games. In Week 12 at the Chargers, Mitchell handled 11 total touches (two catches for 25 yards on two targets), and he averaged 7.1 yards per carry. He has the ability to change the game with one play, but unfortunately, he shares playing time with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. I would still use Mitchell as a flex option against the Rams this week, and hopefully the Ravens give one of their best playmakers more touches as the season goes on.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Role continues to expand
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Mitchell carried the ball nine times for 64 yards in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Chargers. He added two catches on two targets for 25 yards.
Mitchell drew the first carry of the game for the Ravens and ultimately led the backfield with 11 touches. As has been the case, he was explosive with the ball in his hands, as his longest rush went for 29 yards, and he also chipped in with a 14-yard reception. Mitchell saw double-digit carries for the second time in his last four games and should continue to see his role expand once the Ravens return from their bye in Week 14.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Sleeper RBs
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Gus Edwards has the best chance to take advantage of this Chargers defense, but I like Mitchell as a sleeper for this week as a flex option in all leagues. The Chargers are No. 7 in most Fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs, and in Week 10 they allowed both Detroit running backs in Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery to each score at least 17.6 PPR points. Mitchell still hasn't had more than 10 total touches in a game this season, but he's scored at least 13.6 PPR points in two of his past three outings. He can help your Fantasy team win a week with one big play against this defense.
It would make a ton of sense for the Ravens to lean on Mitchell in a crucial division game -- the Bengals are on the road on a short week, they're coming off a game they were pulverized on the ground in, and Mitchell has relatively fresh legs. But there are certain situations like near the goal line and on passing downs where Mitchell simply cannot be expected to play. That limits the expectation on his volume, but he has the speed to do some damage even if he has 7 to 10 touches. He's tough to trust as a must-start running back, but in deeper leagues he's a flex with higher upside than D'Onta Foreman (with Khalil Herbert expected back for the Bears), Kareem Hunt (tough matchup in a downgraded offense), Jahan Dotson, Odell Beckham or Luke Musgrave.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Role could grow in Week 11
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Head coach John Harbaugh said Mitchell will be "more involved this week" during the Ravens' matchup with the Bengals on Thursday than he was in a Week 10 loss to the Browns, Brian Wacker of The Baltimore Sun reports.
After Mitchell turned in a nine-carry, 138-yard rushing performance in a blowout win over Seattle in Week 9, Harbaugh spoke of expanding the rookie's role in the backfield rotation alongside Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. The coach held true to that promise early in Sunday's 33-31 loss to Cleveland, and Mitchell came through with an electrifying 39-yard touchdown run in the first quarter, then helped set up a field goal on the next possession with a 32-yard catch and run. However, the rookie was then curiously phased out of the game plan in the second half, as he played only four snaps and received just one touch as the Browns overcame a 24-9 deficit. Harbaugh's latest comments offer hope that Mitchell could cut further into Hill's workload, but Edwards seems firmly rooted in place as the No. 1 option.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Expected to suit up Sunday
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Mitchell (hamstring), who is officially listed as questionable, is expected to play Sunday versus the Browns, Ian Rapoport of NFL Network reports.
Mitchell practiced in full Friday after tweaking his hamstring in practice earlier in the week, and he's on track to suit up for Sunday's divisional matchup. The rookie's status will be made official roughly 90 minutes prior to Sunday's 1:00 p.m. kickoff. Mitchell put up a 9-138-1 statline on the ground versus Seattle in Week 9, but he did so on only 13 offensive snaps. If active Sunday, it remains to be seen whether he'll be put in position to handle more playing time alongside Gus Edwards and Justice Hill.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Trending toward playing
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Mitchell (hamstring) is expected to play in Sunday's matchup against the Browns, Jeremy Fowler of ESPN.com reports.
That the 21-year-old practiced fully Friday was likely a positive indication anyway, but this is a great development regardless for the rookie's availability. It's worth noting the Ravens haven't made an official designation regarding his status, but that should be officially cleared up before the 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff. The speedy running back has been electric in his first real opportunities after missing the beginning of the season due to a shoulder injury, but he played only 13 offensive snaps total in the demolition of the Seahawks in Week 9. It's unclear if the playing time will dramatically rise in what figures to be a much more competitive contest.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Nursing hamstring injury
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Mitchell was a limited participant in Thursday's practice due to a hamstring injury.
Mitchell wasn't included on the Ravens' initial Week 10 injury report released Wednesday, so his limitations in Thursday's session seem to be indicative of an in-practice setback. The rookie out of East Carolina will still have a chance to practice again in some capacity Friday to put himself in a better position to play Sunday against the Browns, but the mid-week appearance on the injury report suddenly halts some of the momentum Mitchell had built over the past week. Head coach John Harbaugh had previously suggested that Mitchell would become a regular part of the backfield rotation with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill after busting out for 138 yards and a touchdown on nine carries in the Ravens' blowout win over the Seahawks this past Sunday.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Could be part of backfield rotation
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Ravens head coach John Harbaugh suggested Monday that Mitchell could be in line for an uptick in snaps moving forward as part of a three-man committee with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com reports. "I'm sure there'll be a rotation," Harbaugh said.
Though Harbaugh didn't go into specifics regarding what Mitchell's role might look like in the weeks to come, the undrafted rookie out of East Carolina may have earned himself a regular share of the backfield snaps and touches after a breakout performance in this past Sunday's 37-3 win over Seattle. After recording no carries in his first two NFL games, Mitchell gained 11, nine, nine and eight yards on four totes in the second quarter, then added a 40-yard touchdown run in the third quarter and a 60-yard scamper in the fourth. Given that Mitchell's 138 rushing yards didn't come purely in garbage time, he may have a good chance at usurping Hill for the top change-of-pace role behind Edwards, who should remain Baltimore's preferred early-down and goal-line back. Hill actually led the trio of backs with 13 carries (for 40 yards) against Seattle, though six of those touches came in the fourth quarter. Moreover, Hill is averaging a more modest 4.3 yards per carry and 4.5 yards per reception this season, while Mitchell has flashed more big-play upside, albeit in a smaller sample. Mitchell doesn't look to be a dependable option in fantasy lineups at this time, but he profiles as an intriguing speculative pickup in the event he pushes into a larger role on the heels of his big Week 9 outing.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: No injury designation for Week 9
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Mitchell (hamstring) has no injury designation for Week 9 and will play in Sunday's game against the Seahawks, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.
The rookie has played two offensive snaps all season, registering zero rushing attempts while catching his lone target for nine yards. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill should continue to handle the backfield work for Baltimore.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Unavailable Sunday
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Mitchell (hamstring) is inactive for Sunday's game with the Cardinals.
Mitchell will be forced to sit out after he suffered a hamstring strain in Week 7 versus the Lions. The running back was able to practice in full Friday, but he'll now shift his focus to returning in Week 9 against Seattle.
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: Chance to play Sunday
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Mitchell (hamstring) is listed as questionable ahead of Sunday's game against the Cardinals, Cordell Woodland of 105.7 The Fan reports.
The 21-year-old running back out of East Carolina seems to be trending in the right direction to play this Sunday, as he went from limited participation in Thursday's practice to a full workload Friday. Mitchell has appeared in two games for the Ravens since coming off injured reserve, playing primarily on special teams (52 percent of snaps).
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Ravens' Keaton Mitchell: No practice Wednesday
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Mitchell (hamstring) didn't practice Wednesday, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.
Mitchell received his first regular-season snaps on offense in Sunday's win over the Lions, but he injured his hamstring along the way and now is considered week-to-week. He's unlikely to practice this week or play in Sunday's game at Arizona.
