Niner Noise
FanSided

Fantasy football: 5 running backs you need to avoid in 2019

By Aaron Tan

SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 15: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball passed Blake Martinez #50 of the Green Bay Packers in the first half at CenturyLink Field on November 15, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images)
SEATTLE, WA - NOVEMBER 15: Rashaad Penny #20 of the Seattle Seahawks runs the ball passed Blake Martinez #50 of the Green Bay Packers in the first half at CenturyLink Field on November 15, 2018 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Otto Greule Jr/Getty Images) /
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NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 13: Mark Ingram #22 of the New Orleans Saints during the NFC Divisional Playoff at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA – JANUARY 13: Mark Ingram #22 of the New Orleans Saints during the NFC Divisional Playoff at the Mercedes Benz Superdome on January 13, 2019 in New Orleans, Louisiana. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) /

No. 2: Mark Ingram (ADP: 44)

One of fantasy football’s biggest enemies is Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh.

The man will not commit to a running back. The talented Alex Collins, a 2018 fantasy bust, was gradually phased out of the Ravens’ game plan in favor of inferior running backs (*cough, cough* Buck Allen) until getting hurt and being placed on injured reserve. Harbaugh does this with most of his running backs, and the Ravens backfield should just generally be avoided in fantasy.

Mark Ingram is a talented back but has competition in Gus Edwards, who impressed in the latter half of the past season, and Kenneth Dixon, who the Ravens’ coaching staff has been infatuated with ever since he was drafted in 2016.

Also, the fact Lamar Jackson is the Ravens’ quarterback does not help things for Ingram’s fantasy situation. I have never been a fan of Jackson’s passing skill set, which is wildly inconsistent and more often poor than great. Because of this, defenses will focus on stopping the run, whether the ball is carried by the quarterback or running back.

I am not a fan of Ingram’s landing spot, in terms of fantasy purposes — there are much better and reliable options at his ADP.