Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice carried the ball 11 times and ran for just 17 yards in a 24-18 loss to the Cleveland Browns in Week 9. He also caught three passes out of the backfield in the contest for an additional 21 yards.
Ray Rice more like fantasy sloth than fantasy running back
The Ravens running back was held in check by the Browns defense. We break down the fantasy implications.
Jason Miller
Fantasy impact: Posting 38 total yards on 14 touches is just not good enough in the eyes of Rice’s fantasy owners. He is a perennial top pick in most fantasy drafts that has taken a step back this year.
Coach John Harbaugh stated before the season that he wanted Rice to engage in more of a timeshare with teammate Bernard Pierce this season. Pierce has somewhat eaten into Rice's production, but not to the degree that most fantasy owners probably expected.
For what it’s worth, Peirce played equally poorly against the Browns, rushing for just 11 yards in the game on six carries.
Going into Week 10, the Ravens face a Miami Dolphins defense that gave up 79 yards on nine carries to the Cincinnati Bengals' Giovanni Bernard. Bernard also ran for two touchdowns in the game. It remains to be seen whether Rice and the Ravens can post similar numbers, but nonetheless they will need to do better on the ground if they hope to walk away with a victory against the Dolphins.
