Rejoice, football fans, the 2025 season is almost upon us.
It's now mid-July, which means training camp is getting ready to start and preseason games will soon kick off. One of the teams that should be most excited for the beginning of the 2025 season is the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens have been a playoff mainstay with quarterback Lamar Jackson, but they've failed to reach the Super Bowl in that time. Headed into this season, though, the team has one of the league's best rosters and should be well-positioned to compete.
One of the best position groups on this team is running back. The team boasts Derrick Henry, who continues to be among the most elite backs in the league, and having a weapon like that is a huge advantage.
Recently, Dalton Wasserman of Pro Football Focus recently ranked the top running back units in the league, and the Ravens earned the top spot.
Regarding that ranking, Wasserman offered the following analysis:
The Ravens reign supreme with the NFL’s highest-graded running back from last season, Derrick Henry, and a talented unit behind him. Henry led the position with a 93.5 PFF rushing grade as well as 89 missed tackles forced and 6.0 yards per carry. At this point, his eventual decline isn't believable until we see it.
Alongside Henry is one of the NFL’s best third-down backs, Justice Hill. Hill’s 89.0 PFF receiving grade in 2024 ranked fourth among running backs last season. He did not drop any of his 52 targets. Baltimore also has Keaton Mitchell, who earned an elite 92.5 PFF rushing grade in limited work in 2023, and Rasheen Ali, who added special-teams value late last season.
As Wasserman mentioned, the Ravens have arguably the best back in the league in Henry, so it's no surprise their unit is at the top.
In 2024, Henry's first season as a Raven, the veteran rushed for 1,921 yards and 16 touchdowns. Henry also earned the highest Pro Football Focus grade of any running back.
Behind Henry, though, the team has some other intriguing options. Justice Hill had the fourth-highest receiving grade among all running backs last year and is a nice change-of-pace back. Keaton Mitchell is another sure receiver and Rasheen Ali is a solid special-teamer.
Henry inked a two-year extension with the Ravens this offseason, solidifying his status as the top dog in Baltimore. If the team finally makes it back to the Super Bowl in 2025, you can rest assured that the running back room is a big part of that success.