Ravens running back J.K. Dobbins is expected to undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and miss four to six weeks, according to multiple reports.
Dobbins, who was ruled out of Sunday’s game against the Cleveland Browns after being held out of practice this week, missed all of last season with a serious left knee injury. He didn’t play in the second half of Sunday’s loss to the New York Giants after coach John Harbaugh said his knee tightened up.
Dobbins led all NFL running backs as a rookie in yards per carry (6.0) but is averaging just 3.5 yards per carry this season. After tearing the ACL, LCL and meniscus in his left knee in the Ravens’ 2021 preseason finale, as well as his hamstring, Dobbins didn’t return to the field until Week 3 last month. He played 35 offensive snaps in Week 4, but his playing time decreased in Week 5.
If Dobbins’ recovery from surgery sidelines him six weeks, an early-December return would leave him with about a month to ramp up for a potential playoff run.
“I just feel like J.K. is pushing as hard as he can to get through it,” Harbaugh said Monday. “He’s a really good back right now, no question, and he’s only going to get better, and he’s going to get back to being — and better — than he’s ever been before soon. What that time frame is, it just depends.”
With Dobbins out, the Ravens will likely rely on three running backs returning from their own season-ending injuries. Kenyan Drake, who averaged 11.9 yards per carry in his 119-yard outburst Sunday against the Giants, missed the Las Vegas Raiders’ five final games last season with an ankle injury.
Justice Hill, who’s averaging 6.6 yards per carry and has been the Ravens’ most consistently explosive running back this season, missed all of last year with a torn Achilles tendon. He’s also been sidelined the past two games by a hamstring injury, though he’s expected to play Sunday against Cleveland.
Gus Edwards, who could make his season debut Sunday, missed all of last year with a torn ACL. He started this season on the physically-unable-to-perform list but returned to practice in early October.
“He did look good in practice,” Harbaugh said of Edwards after Friday’s session, “and we’ll see where it goes.”
The Ravens also have Mike Davis, who has eight carries for 18 yards this season but has been more valuable as a blocker.
Despite the team’s injuries, the Ravens rank third in the NFL in rushing efficiency, according to Football Outsiders, led by quarterback Lamar Jackson (56 carries for 451 yards) and one of the NFL’s best offensive lines.