Everyone thinks they know how the Baltimore Ravens run the ball. You see the purple jerseys, you see Lamar Jackson, and you assume it’s just chaotic magic. But honestly? The reality of being a Baltimore Ravens running back in 2026 is way more calculated—and way more stressful—than the highlights suggest.
The narrative used to be simple. You had a "workhorse" like Derrick Henry, you gave him the rock 20 times, and you let him turn grown men into memes. But as we've seen throughout the 2025 season and heading into this year, the Ravens have quietly shifted the blueprint. They aren't just looking for a "battering ram" anymore. They’re looking for survival.
Why the "King Henry" Era Changed Everything
When Derrick Henry signed that two-year, $30 million extension back in May 2025, people lost their minds. "He’s too old," they said. "The cliff is coming."
Well, the cliff hasn't arrived yet. Henry turned 32 recently, and he’s still putting up numbers that make no sense. 126 yards against the Steelers in Week 18? That’s not normal for a guy with his mileage. But here is what most people get wrong: the Ravens aren't using him as a volume-only back anymore.
If you look at the 2025 season, there was a massive spike in inconsistency. One week, Henry has 10 carries. The next, he has 25. Coach John Harbaugh caught a lot of heat for it, especially after that loss to the Bengals where Henry was averaging 6.0 yards per carry but basically got ghosted in the second half.
The truth? The Ravens are obsessed with "freshness." They know that if they want a deep January run, they can't burn the tread off those tires in October. That’s why the role of a Baltimore Ravens running back has become a rotating door of specialized skill sets.
The Keaton Mitchell Paradox
Keaton Mitchell is the most frustrating player on the roster.
Not because of his talent—the kid is electric. He hit 20.39 mph on a 55-yard run against Pittsburgh last month. He makes defenders look like they're running in sand. But the "injury prone" label is starting to stick, and it's getting hard to ignore.
📖 Related: Millett Hall Oxford Ohio: Why This Old School Arena Still Matters
- The 2023 Knee: Devastating. Wiped out his rookie momentum.
- The 2024 Recovery: He didn't look like himself. Just 30 yards in the final two games.
- The 2025 Calf: Another setback that limited him right when the Ravens needed a spark.
Honestly, Mitchell is the ultimate "home run" threat, but he’s a luxury. You can’t build a season around a guy who might not be there for the playoffs. That’s where the unsung hero comes in.
Justice Hill and the "Glue" Factor
If you aren't paying attention to Justice Hill, you aren't watching Ravens football.
People forget he’s under contract through 2026 because of that $6 million extension. He’s the guy who does the dirty work. He blocks. He catches passes out of the backfield when Lamar is under duress. He’s basically the insurance policy for whenever Keaton Mitchell is on the trainer's table.
In 2025, the Ravens' run game actually dropped to 5th in the league. Sounds good, right? For Baltimore, that’s a crisis. They averaged 136.8 yards per game, which is the lowest it's been in years. Why? Because the offensive line struggled with injuries to guys like Andrew Vorhees and Ronnie Stanley. When the holes aren't there, you need a Baltimore Ravens running back who can create something out of nothing.
What the Stats Don't Tell You
- Lamar's Legs: Lamar Jackson rushed for a career-low 349 yards in 2025. That’s massive. It means the running backs had to face "standard" boxes without the constant fear of a QB keeper.
- The Ricard Effect: Patrick Ricard is a unicorn. When he missed the first six games of 2025 with a calf injury, the run game died. Without that 300-pound lead blocker, even Derrick Henry looked human.
- Efficiency over Volume: The Ravens led the league in "breakaway run rate" (over 41%). They don't need 5 yards every play; they need the one 40-yarder that breaks a defense's spirit.
The Rasheen Ali Wildcard
Don't sleep on Rasheen Ali. He’s mostly been a special teams guy and a "change of pace" depth piece, but the Ravens staff loves his vision. During those stretches in 2025 when Justice Hill was dealing with a neck issue and Mitchell was out, Ali stepped in and didn't look out of place.
He’s the "in case of emergency" glass you break. If Henry finally hits that age wall in 2026, the backfield is going to look very different, very fast.
What This Means for the 2026 Season
If you're looking at the Ravens' backfield and wondering what happens next, it's all about the cap. Henry has a $5.5 million cap hit this year. Hill is locked in. Mitchell is a restricted free agent.
The strategy is clear: keep Henry for the big moments, hope Mitchell stays healthy for the explosive ones, and let Justice Hill handle everything in between. It’s a committee, whether the fans like it or not.
The days of Jamal Lewis getting 30 carries a game are dead. This is an ecosystem.
Next Steps for Ravens Fans:
- Watch the O-Line depth: The success of the Baltimore Ravens running back room is 100% tied to whether Andrew Vorhees and Roger Rosengarten can take a leap in 2026.
- Monitor Keaton Mitchell's offseason: If he doesn't have a "clean" spring, expect Eric DeCosta to look for another speedster in the mid-rounds of the draft.
- Don't panic about the yards per game: The Ravens are moving toward a more balanced "Todd Monken" offense. 130 yards on the ground with 4 passing TDs is better than 200 yards on the ground and a loss.