Blake Krass breaks down the fantasy value of Ravens running backs Derrick Henry and handcuff Justice Hill for the 2025 fantasy football season.
The NFL season is quickly approaching, and fantasy drafts are starting. At DraftKings, you can play an array of different season-long fantasy contests.
This is a look at the fantasy value of all of the players in the Baltimore Ravens’ backfield.
Baltimore Ravens Backfield
The Ravens are one of the best teams in football and are hoping this is the year that they can finally get back atop the AFC. Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP, and they are loaded with talent elsewhere, but have yet to make the Super Bowl with Jackson at the helm. The Ravens hoped that the addition of Derrick Henry would help take them to the next level. He certainly played his part, with Baltimore’s defense being the team’s prevailing issue last season. Henry had another incredible campaign, finishing second in the NFL in rushing yards and second in rushing touchdowns. In almost any other year, his 1,900+ yards would have made him by far the NFL’s leading rusher, but due to Saquon Barkley’s historic season, he came second.
The Ravens ranked just behind the Eagles with the second-best EPA/rush in the NFL last season. They also ranked second in the league in rushing success rate. After Henry, Lamar Jackson is basically the Ravens’ second running back. They will call designed runs for Jackson, along with option plays where Jackson can give it to Henry or tuck it and run, not to mention Jackson’s unmatched scrambling ability. That often leaves minimal carries for other running backs. The main backup last season, and heading into 2025, is Justice Hill. They also have a 2023 undrafted free agent, Keaton Mitchell. Mitchell has shown flashes of special ability, but has only played 13 games across his two NFL seasons due to a torn ACL in his rookie year.
Running Back Handcuffs: Justice Hill or Keaton Mitchell?
Justice Hill is the presumed RB2 heading into the season. Hill has played a similar role in the running game over the past three years in Baltimore, rushing for 292.3 yards per season over that stretch. However, Hill made a big leap forward in usage in the passing game last season. Derrick Henry hasn’t lost a step when it comes to his rushing ability, but in obvious passing downs, the Ravens often turned to Hill over Henry. Hill had a career-best 42 catches for 383 yards and three touchdowns. He ended up having more receiving yards than rushing yards on the season, but his 611 all-purpose yards made it the best season of his career.
Hill could have more competition for the RB2 role if Keaton Mitchell is healthy in 2025. Mitchell was an undrafted free agent in 2023 and didn’t even see the field until November. In the same game that he got his first NFL carry, he rushed for 138 yards and a touchdown. He played well over the next few weeks in a committee backfield for Baltimore before tearing his ACL. That kept him out for the rest of that season and the first several months of last season. Once he was activated, it was hard for Mitchell to break into the team. Henry is such a dominant force, and Hill was doing a great job in the third-down running back role.
Heading into the 2025-26 season, it’s hard to invest too much into either Hill or Mitchell. Henry ranked second in the NFL in carries last season, and it’s hard for any back-up running back to get enough action to be a viable fantasy selection. However, it could be worth taking a chance on Keaton Mitchell in dynasty fantasy leagues. Justice Hill has shown a limited fantasy ceiling in a large sample size. While he is a useful player for the Ravens, he isn’t a realistic fantasy option. On the other hand, in limited action, Mitchell has shown glimmers of serious potential. If he can stay on the field, he could take over the third-down running back position from Hill and potentially carve an even bigger role for himself in the future — or with an injury to Henry.