NFL Suspensions: 5 players who will be missed the most

2. Ray Rice – Baltimore Ravens

Ray Rice is out for the first two games — division games against the Cincinnati Bengals and Pittsburgh Steelers — due to a violation of the NFL personal-conduct policy stemming from his domestic violence arrest and felony aggravated assault charge in February. There is no doubt that no matter what happens this NFL season, Rice’s biggest impact, is that his pathetic two game suspension ignited such a strong backlash, that the league finally decided to adopt a tougher domestic violence policy.

With Rice last year, the Ravens’ offense was stagnant. Without him, it was similarly ineffective. Baltimore’s rushing offense was the worst in the NFL, averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. Rice and his top backup, Bernard Pierce, had two of the four worst rushing averages in the league in 2013. Rice averaged 3.08 yards per carry and Pierce averaged 2.87. With Rice out for two games, Pierce will seize this opportunity to make a statement for the Ravens’ offensive line. Statistically, Pierce has been best during his young career using his 220 pounds to push the ball into the defensive line’s interior, running right up the middle. According to ESPN Stats & Information, he averaged 3.73 yards per carry last season when he’d run up the middle. Whenever he would hit from the outside, he was less successful, averaging 2.76 yards. It is that Pierce whom they believe will make Rice’s absence a non-factor.