Should I Pickup Kenyan Drake For Week 9 Fantasy Football? Waiver Wire Outlook

Running back Kenyan Drake has had plenty of fantasy football intrigue during his career with the Miami Dolphins, Arizona Cardinals, and Las Vegas Raiders, and he's back on the fantasy radar after a stellar Week 8 performance against the Buccaneers on Thursday Night Football as a member of the Baltimore Ravens.

Baltimore has opted to use several backs in its offense rather than a workhorse, so there is some skepticism about whether Drake's fantasy production can be consistent.

That's a fair and common concern, so let's address it and figure out whether Drake is worth picking up ahead of a matchup with the New Orleans Saints on Monday Night.

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How Did Kenyan Drake Play in Week 8?

Despite sharing a backfield with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill, Drake rushed seven times for 62 yards and caught all four of his targets for five yards and a touchdown. Drake played 44 percent of the Ravens' offensive snaps, while Hill and Edwards combined to play 32 percent of snaps.

That said, Drake was the runaway lead running back for at least this game. It's worth noting Gus Edwards picked up a hamstring injury, but Drake was the leader in the backfield before that happened.

Should I Pick Up Kenyan Drake in Fantasy Football?

Drake is worth picking up in one of the best rushing attacks in the NFL, but that doesn't mean he's a weekly fantasy starter that will have consistent production. Drake is very much stuck in a true running-back-by-committee approach, even with J.K. Dobbins (knee) out for an extended period of time.

Edwards' hamstring injury is reportedly minor, so even if he does miss time, it'll likely only be one game with the Ravens headed to a bye in Week 10.

All that said, Drake can be a solid flex play, especially if one of Hill or Edwards does pick up a more serious injury at some point this year. This backfield will be confusing and frustrating to figure out, but after Drake's Week 8 performance and usage, he belongs on a fantasy roster. This late in the season, taking flyers on running backs with upside could be a league-winning move.

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