Devonta

Freeman

He was joined by (deep breath): Tevin Coleman, Nate McCrary, Abram Smith, La’Mical Perine, Godwin Igwebuike, and Marlon Mack. Sources have told us that LaMichael James was unavailable. The 49ers seem likely to add someone to their backfield mix behind Jeff Wilson while Elijah Mitchell recovers from his injury, and whoever that back is will have some break-in-case-of-emergency fantasy value in Kyle Shanahan’s offense.

Freeman lost his primary ball carrier role to Latavius Murray as Murray blew up for 150 yards and a score against an exploitable Pittsburgh front seven. The two veteran backs alternated as the team’s goal line role this season, with Freeman securing the pass-catching workload out of Baltimore’s backfield. He had double digit carries in seven games this year. Freeman acquitted himself well after the Ravens signed him off the street following the team’s preseason backfield injury apocalypse. He might find his way back onto the Ravens roster in 2022.

It might have been the most random running back explosion of the season. Murray, a fading veteran averaging 3.4 yards per carry coming into Week 18, ripped off a handful of long runs against a weak Steelers front seven. Baltimore took the lead on Murray’s 46-yard touchdown in the second half. He took over the backfield from Devonta Freeman, who had been Baltimore’s primary rusher for most of the season’s second half. The soon-to-be-32-year-old Murray heads into the offseason as an unrestricted free agent. He should get a one-year deal for a running back-needy team.

Latavius Murray subbed in for some second half red zone carries but Freeman was clearly the lead back. He managed a couple impressive runs on read-options from Tyler Huntley, including a 32-yard gain after Rams defenders crashed in on Huntley and left Freeman to run free. Murray’s goal line involvement has capped Freeman’s upside for much of the season, making him a low-end RB2. He’ll finish 2021 with a good matchup against a horrendous Pittsburgh rush defense.

Freeman last week fell back into a backfield split with Latavius Murray. Wildly negative game script in this one led to a meager 11 rushing attempts for Baltimore’s running backs. Freeman got the goal line plunge this week after losing out to Murray at the goal line in recent weeks. He’ll be a shaky flex play in Week 17 against the Rams.

Murray had one less carry than Devonta Freeman, and lost out on goal line duties after being the team’s primary goal line back in recent weeks. Murray can remain on waiver wires ahead of the Ravens’ Week 17 game against the Rams.

Freeman’s Week 15 usage was an unpleasant surprise for those who used him as a RB2 in the fantasy playoffs. Freeman had seen at lest 13 rushing attempts in each of the Ravens’ past four games -- including 13 carries and five receptions last week against the Browns -- and looked as if he had solidified himself as Baltimore’s lead back. Apparently that was presumptuous. Latavius Murray took over as the team’s lead back in the second half against Green Bay and ended with one more rush than Freeman. Freeman now looks like a shaky flex option for Week 16 against the Bengals.

Murray’s Week 15 role was an unwelcome development for those deploying Devonta Freeman as an RB2. Murray out-carried Freeman as the Ravens seemed to shift to Murray as the lead back in the second half. Tyler Huntley accounted for half of the team’s rushing attempts against Green Bay and left little opportunity for either running back. Murray isn’t fantasy viable despite the uptick in usage.

The Ravens brought in the lumbering veteran to take a one-yard dive into the end zone after Devonta Freeman had operated as the team’s lead back all day. Murray has no path to fantasy viability as long as Freeman -- who had at least 15 touches in five of six games -- is healthy.

Freeman now has at least 15 touches in five of the Ravens’ past six games. His 18 touches against Cleveland didn’t amount to much, however, with the Browns snuffing out most of his rushes in the first half before game script went haywire for the Ravens in the second half. His five targets were encouraging though. Freeman was vultured by Latavius Murray for a second half touchdown -- Murray’s only touch on the day. Freeman has established himself as Baltimore’s unquestioned lead back. He has RB2 viability in Week 15 against Green Bay.