Ravens beat reporter Jamison Hensley thinks that the Ravens are planning to start Ray Rice in Week 1.
McGahee could be a game-time decision because he has been slow to recover from arthroscopic knee surgery in training camp. The Ravens’ mind-set right now is that Rice will be starting. If McGahee is ready, that will be a bonus. Even if McGahee plays, Rice could split time with him because McGahee won’t be at full strength. So drafting Rice in the second round might have been a surprise, but it seems like the Ravens’ best move on draft day.
Whoever starts will have a pretty nice matchup against a Bengals team that allowed an average of 118 yards and 0.7 TD on the ground last season. I’d plan on Rice starting, but if McGahee is suddenly available, that will muddy the situation. Without McGahee, Rice is a solid RB2 option for Week 1.
