The Baltimore Ravens don't exactly have a competition going on at the running back position -- not officially. But as noted by ESPN, the Ravens could have a decision to make once the regular season gets underway. Ray Rice is serving a two-game suspension, and Bernard Pierce will take all of the first-team snaps with the offense during that time. Pierce, as it happens, has looked pretty good in training camp practices.
Could Bernard Pierce take carries from Ray Rice when they’re both active?
Bernard Pierce has been running well, and Ray Rice doesn’t have a ton going for him. We break down the fantasy implications.
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Pierce may even be a more natural fit for Baltimore’s offense, ESPN suggests. If Pierce has a strong first couple games to start the season, he could be ahead of Rice even when Rice comes back from his suspension. At the very least, he could take a significant amount of Rice’s touches away from him.
Fantasy Impact: One thing that helps this notion along is the fact that Rice struggled big time last season. Playing in 15 games and coming off four consecutive 1,000-plus yard seasons, Rice carried the ball 214 times for just 660 yards last year. Given his suspension and struggles last season, it was already difficult to recommend fantasy owners place a lot of faith in Rice this year. Pierce potentially taking over or just taking some touches away means Rice’s value will be lower than ever this season.
