Bobby

Rainey

Multiple reports out of Baltimore have called Rainey the most impressive runner in Ravens camp, behind Ray Rice. Rainey showed some shake and bake against the Falcons and could continue to work his way into a roster spot with a versatile preseason. Current No. 2 back Bernard Pierce didn’t play in the passing game at Temple, and nor did Anthony Allen at Georgia Tech.

Rainey beat out Anthony Allen for a roster spot and is poised to enter the season as the No. 3 back behind Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce. In four preseason games Rainey managed just 2.4 yards per carry, but did catch 14 balls for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

Fellow rookie Bernard Piece is the favorite for primary backup duties behind Ray Rice, but Rainey has apparently overtaken No. 4 Damien Berry and No. 5 Anthony Allen. Rainey has received high praise from multiple sources throughout camp and appears destined for the 53-man roster.

The Ravens didn’t use a third-round pick on Pierce to sit him behind the likes of Anthony Allen and Bobby Rainey. If this “battle” is close at all, he’ll win out and settle in as a low-end handcuff to Ray Rice. Pierce is now over the pesky hamstring strain that cost him the early portion of camp.

He shared No. 2 back duties with UDFA Bobby Rainey, who looked a bit more impressive with 80 total yards and a touchdown on five touches. Pierce is a straight-ahead back lacking explosive burst, and the Ravens would likely turn to a rotation including Rainey were Ray Rice to go down. Rice doesn’t have a clear-cut handcuff in fantasy leagues. Pierce is just a low-upside, late-round flier.

There are no further details on the injury. Undrafted out of Western Kentucky, Rainey was inactive the past three weeks after spending the first six weeks of the season on the practice squad. He impressed as a receiver out of the backfield in preseason action. Rainey will battle for a roster spot again in 2013.

Pierce realizes the majority of his playing time will come when “Ray is tired.” If Rice ends up missing time with injury, fellow rookie Bobby Rainey would likely handle passing-down work in a tandem attack. Pierce is the preferred “handcuff” option.

Rainey beat out Allen for a spot on the final 53-man roster, but it didn’t last long. Rainey didn’t show much in the run game during the preseason, rushing at just a 2.4 yards-per-carry clip, but he did show some promise catching the ball out of the backfield. Allen was a seventh-round pick by Baltimore in 2011.

Coach John Harbaugh insisted a month ago that Rainey remained a “big part” of the team’s plans after he was re-signed to the practice squad. Anthony Allen got the final running back spot purely for special teams value. Rainey was more effective as a receiver than runner in preseason action, catching 14 passes for 163 yards and two touchdowns.

The Ravens have one of the league’s healthiest 53-man rosters at this point, which may explain their ability to keep churning out wins despite losing so many key defenders to early-year injury. Rainey has not played in a game yet in 2012.