Pitta Down – Pierce Up
Byron Lambert, Rosterwatch.com

Photo via Bernard Pierce Twitter

On Saturday, Ravens TE Dennis Pitta has gone down with a with a season ending injury. If he was 75, it would likely be a life-ending injury. A dislocated and fractured hip. Ouch.

Luckily, he will not be sidelined for life—just the entirety of 2013 NFL season.

We already believed Baltimore to be run-heavy this season. This unfortunate event for Pitta and Baltimore fans alike only bolsters the case. The good news is, the Ravens have the talented young running backs to pull it off. The Ravens are a prime candidate to run the ball well over 400+ times this season.

Ray Rice can handle some of the increased workload. He was light on carries last season. Expect a few more carries per game for Rice and a slight uptick in the receiving department. He can replace some of the production Pitta leaves behind.

To hit the 400+ mark as far as total rushes, Baltimore has to run the ball at least five more times per game this season. That puts Bernard Pierce in prime position to be a 10 carry per game guy (on a good team) with goal-line appeal (6’0″ / 218) and “hot-hand” upside.

Add it all up, and Pierce goes from a risky RB4 to a possible flex play. If we are in a desperation situation during our 2013 fantasy drafts, and need a running back, we’re willing to give Pierce a bump. He’s not a Top 100 pick, but he’s close.