Surprising Offensive Weapon Named Ravens X-Factor

Baltimore Ravens running back Keaton Mitchell isn't going to get the lion's share of the carries this season with Derrick Henry ahead of him in the depth chart, but he should play a key role for the team still.

Bleacher Report writer Kristopher Knox listed Mitchell as the Ravens' X-Factor for the upcoming season.

"Last year, the Baltimore Ravens paired bruising ball-carrier Derrick Henry with superstar quarterback Lamar Jackson to forge one of the league's most dynamic ground games," Knox wrote.

"If third-year change-of-pace back Keaton Mitchell can stay healthy and complement Henry and Jackson, a great rushing attack could be borderline indefensible.

"The 23-year-old averaged a whopping 8.4 yards per carry as a rookie in 2023 before suffering a torn ACL. He was far less explosive in limited action last year but appears to have regained his burst—he averaged 7.6 yards per carry in Baltimore's preseason opener."

The Ravens are happy to have Mitchell back after his knee injury and he is expected to be Henry's primary backup this season. Justice Hill could also see a decent amount of snaps, but Mitchell provides a tremendous amount of upside that the Ravens cannot ignore.

Mitchell proved he was back with a vengeance in the Ravens' preseason opener against the Indianapolis Colts. He ran for a 22-yard touchdown in the first quarter that had him looking like he was in midseason form.