The Ravens failed to make the postseason for the fourth time in five years, but where exactly did their players stack up across the NFL in 2017?
Whether it’s discussing the Pro Bowl or picking postseason awards, media and fans spend much time debating where players rank at each position, but few put in the necessary time and effort to watch every player on every team extensively enough to develop any kind of an authoritative opinion.
Truthfully, how many times did you closely watch the offensive line of the Los Angeles Chargers this season? What about the Detroit Lions linebackers or the Miami Dolphins cornerbacks?
That’s why I can appreciate projects such as Bleacher Report’s NFL1000 and the grading efforts of Pro Football Focus. Of course, neither should be viewed as the gospel of evaluation and each is subjective, but I respect the exhaustive effort to grade players across the league when so many of us watch only one team or one division on any kind of a consistent basis. It’s important to note that the following PFF rankings are where the player stood at the conclusion of the regular season.
Below is a look at where Ravens running backs ranked across the league, according to those outlets:
Alex Collins
2017 offensive snap count: 378
NFL1000 ranking: 12th
PFF ranking: 5th
Skinny: The 23-year-old was a terrific addition for a below-average offense and finished ninth in yards per carry, but his 2.96 yards per attempt average over the last three games and a slight 210-pound frame make it fair to take pause before assuming he’ll automatically thrive with a bigger workload next season.
Buck Allen
2017 offensive snap count: 466
NFL1000 ranking: 46th
PFF ranking: 33rd
Skinny: The 2015 fourth-round pick rebounded from a disappointing 2016 to emerge as a solid No. 2 back by averaging 3.9 yards per carry and scoring six touchdowns. Allen caught 46 passes, but his 5.4 yards per catch ranked last in the NFL among qualified players and reflected his limited elusiveness.
Danny Woodhead
2017 offensive snap count: 157
NFL1000 ranking: 55th
PFF ranking: n/a
Skinny: A significant hamstring injury cost Woodhead nearly nine full games, and he has now appeared in only 29 contests over his last four seasons because of injuries. Though the 32-year-old returned in November, he averaged just 6.1 yards per catch and didn’t eclipse 50 yards from scrimmage once.
Terrance West
2017 offensive snap count: 66
NFL1000 ranking: n/a
PFF ranking: n/a
Skinny: A calf injury suffered in Oakland in Week 5 cost West multiple games, but the writing was on the wall when he was healthy again as Collins had secured the starting gig and Allen was the more versatile backup. The Baltimore native will be an unrestricted free agent and is unlikely to return.
2018 positional outlook
With Collins under team control for two more years and Allen still having a year remaining on his rookie deal, the running back position is clearly in better shape than the other skill spots on this offense. The wild card is Kenneth Dixon, who will be coming off a major knee injury and two drug-related suspensions. A healthy and motivated Dixon paired with Collins would be intriguing, but the latter showed enough success in Greg Roman’s blocking schemes to have confidence in him entering 2018 as the starter, especially with guards Marshal Yanda and Alex Lewis back in the fold. Woodhead remains under contract, but Baltimore could save $1.8 million in salary cap space by releasing him. The Ravens should keep their eyes peeled for game-changing talent at any position and could still add a running back later in the draft, but you wouldn’t expect the position to be a top priority to address this offseason.
