Justin Forsett: An Unsung Hero

Stuck in a slump with back-to-back losses and having fallen to last place in the division, the Baltimore Ravens finally bounced back and returned to form in their 21-7 victory over the Tennessee Titans. There was redemption for the defense after last week’s embarrassment, sure, but the real hero of this game, and really the team is Justin Forsett.

From Seattle Seahawks castoff to Baltimore Ravens premier running back, Justin Forsett is hitting his stride in the prime of his playing career. The Ravens were simply in the right place at the right time when they aquired Forsett. Forsett, drafted dangerously close to being Mr. Irrelevant in 2008, has seen his share of misfortune to get where he is now.

I mean, we are talking about a guy who recorded 261 all-purpose yards in a game against the Chicago Bears, and the Seahawks still cut him. And after being bounced around from Seattle to Indianapolis to Houston, Forsett is finally in a system that boasts a well-balanced, explosive offense with a top-tier quarterback. Now he can show the world what he can do.

Some of my colleagues here at The Baltimore Wire have told us in the beginning of the season just who Justin Forsett is when he was thrust into the number one running back spot on the depth chart, so I’ll simply take a look at Forsett’s contributions thus far as we enter the second half of the season.

The numbers certainly don’t lie. Justin Forsett right now is the fourth-ranked running back in the league with 721 yards and five touchdowns. DeMarco Murray is the only back currently over 1,000 yards, while Forsett has only 100 fewer yards than Arian Foster and 20 less than Le’Veon Bell. Another impressive thing about these numbers is the fact that Forsett did it on fewer rushing attempts than the three mentioned players. Mostly importantly, Justin Forsett currently sits at number one with 5.4 average yards per carry (more than Murray).

For you fantasy football enthusiasts out there, I find it interesting that Forsett is currently ahead of Adrian Peterson, LeSean McCoy, Jamaal Charles, and Eddie Lacy, all of whom went in most first rounds and way before Forsett was even considered. People were even still drafting Ray Rice, thinking he’d make an impact after his suspension is over.

At 29 years old, Justin Forsett is making a case that he still plays at a high level and deserves top running back pay. He’s making key blocks and catching passes out the backfield, and his 31 first downs have helped keep the Baltimore Ravens competitive in almost every game. We all are well aware of the dreaded 30 year old wall running backs hit. But Forsett can still contribute quite a bit. Baltimore needs to pay this man and milk every last ounce of football he has left in him.