The Baltimore Ravens have rarely been given the tagline of “aerial circus” during their three-decade NFL tenure. When they have had successful offenses they have almost always been run-first teams who try to grind opponents into dust on the back of a physical ground game.
To execute that strategy, you need a powerful runner who can touch the ball 20 times every game and consistently grind out tough yardage. Baltimore has always been able to scrounge together production at this position, be it through a bell cow or committee of quality runners.
These 10 running backs are without question the best in Ravens history, as their combination of statistical excellence and performance in the postseason put them in a tier all their own across the annals of this franchise.
Criteria for selection
These running backs were chosen based on a combination of:
- Statistical Achievements
- Impact on Success
- Longevity
- Memorable Moments
The top 10 running backs in Baltimore Ravens history
10. Chester Taylor
Many Ravens running backs began their careers as backups before leaving and becoming a star elsewhere. Taylor was Jamal Lewis’ top deputy for the first few years of his career, though he only started to shine when the Vikings milked a 1,200-yard season out of him in 2005.
Prior to that breakout, Taylor was a speedy pass-catcher and third-down back who ran for 1,600 yards and tallied more than 700 as a receiver behind Lewis. His 900-yard campaign in 2004, a year in which Lewis missed four games, was his finest moment with the Ravens.
9. Alex Collins
Collins tragically passed away in 2023 at just 28 years old, ending the life of a player who was uniformly loved and respected by his teammates. The highlight of Collins’ football life came with the Ravens, as the fleet-footed back was a tremendous power runner who found the end zone often.
Collins ran for 13 touchdowns in two seasons with Baltimore, topping 1,100 yards from scrimmage in 2016 just one season after being cut loose by the Seahawks. After Baltimore cut ties with him and Seattle brought him back, Collins wrapped up a five-year career that hit its peak with the Ravens.
8. Mark Ingram
Ingram was fresh off a down year with the Saints and was about to turn 30 when the Ravens signed him in 2019. Surely there was no chance the guy who reeled off four straight 1,000-yard seasons from scrimmage would be able to find his mojo again in Baltimore, right?
Ingram proved everyone wrong immediately, tallying just under 1,300 yards from scrimmage and scoring 15 touchdowns. Lamar Jackson’s MVP year coincided with this production bump, but Ingram was a perfect back for what the Ravens needed at the time.;
Ingram may have fallen off in the following season and retired soon after, but he proved to be a quality running mate when he was in a groove next to Jackson.
7. Justin Forsett
The post-Super Bowl 2010s weren’t always very kind to the Ravens, as the combination of Joe Flacco’s regression and iffy perimeter talent made winning difficult. Forsett was one of the few skill position players who excelled at this time, using his tremendous speed and vision to lead the Ravens on the ground for two seasons.
2015 was a tough season for the Ravens, and Forsett struggled as a result. It remains tough to erase the 1,500 yards from scrimmage season in 2014. Getting him at age 29 was a disservice, as a younger Forsett on the same team could have cracked the top five.
6. JK Dobbins
Dobbins could have been much higher on this list if his body was willing to cooperate with him. After two season-ending injuries, the Ravens let him walk to the Los Angeles Chargers in the offseason. If he stays healthy, Dobbins has already shown that he can reel off big chunk plays.
Dobbins averaged a preposterous 5.8 yards per carry in his four seasons with the Ravens. Running for 800 yards as a rookie with 6.0 yards per carry is a testament to his talent. The Chargers will try to keep him healthy, and his peak with Baltimore proves that idea is a noble pursuit.
5. Priest Holmes
Holmes is best known for his time with the Chiefs, as he set the NFL’s touchdown record and reeled off a four-year stretch of excellence that rivals any of that length in NFL history. Before Kansas City made him a star, Holmes played a vital role on some elite Ravens teams.
Holmes ran for over 1,500 yards in the 1998 and 1999 seasons combined, though the 2000 campaign may be his finest hour within context. Holmes piled up 809 yards from scrimmage despite minimal quarterback and passing game help around him.
While Jamal Lewis was amazing, there’s a part of Baltimore that has to wonder what Holmes could have done for those teams.
4. Gus Edwards
Like Dobbins, Edwards bolted to join the Chargers in the offseason. This brought an end to an excellent Ravens career that saw him rise from an unheralded undrafted free agent to a sledgehammer that often served as the team’s primary back next to Lamar Jackson.
Edwards averaged over five yards per carry, finding the end zone 13 times during his final season with the Ravens. In five years, Edwards was a consistent playmaker who constantly beat out more experienced options.
You don’t run for four 700-yard seasons out of five with his workload unless you have tremendous ball-carrying instincts.
3. Willis McGahee
After three years in Buffalo, McGahee needed a fresh start. While many remember his time with the Ravens for his exploits as a backup, His debut season with Baltimore remains one of the strongest individual seasons in the history of the franchise.
McGahee totaled 1,400 yards from scrimmage and made the Pro Bowl in 2007. McGahee had a solid Ravens legacy, but he could have been even more impressive if he didn’t have to split carries for most of his Baltimore career. The emergence of Ray Rice was too difficult for McGahee to overcome.
2. Ray Rice
Rice’s career with the Ravens ended abruptly when he was arrested after a physical altercation with his now-wife Janay Palmer. Before that incident, Rice was the team’s unquestioned starting running back and the most dynamic offensive player Baltimore had.
Not only is Rice second in franchise history in rushing yards, but he is sixth in receiving yards as a running back. A three-time Pro Bowler and two-time All-Pro, Rice was just a few yards shy of averaging 2,000 yards from scrimmage per 17 games between 2009 and 2012.
1. Jamal Lewis
The best season any Ravens skill position player ever had came from Lewis, who joined an elite club when he ran for 2,066 yards in 2003. At nearly 240 pounds, Lewis did not mess around. He was getting the ball and willing to knock out the teeth of whoever was in front of him.
Lewis has over 10,000 rushing yards in his career, with just under 8,000 of those yards coming with the Ravens. Even after missing 2001 with an injury, Lewis was able to reinvent himself and top 1,000 yards on the ground four times in his career with the Ravens.
Lewis’ years with the Browns after leaving Baltimore add further credence to the notion he was one of the best pure runners of his time. With 45 touchdowns on the ground backing him up, it will take quite the player for any Raven back to surpass what the champion Lewis put together.
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