West received another vote of confidence when the Ravens opted not to select a running back in the 2017 NFL Draft, ESPN.com's Jamison Hensley reports.
West previously got a strong endorsement in late March when head coach John Harbaugh said the 26-year-old was at the top of the team's depth chart. Nothing has happened to change that status, as Kenneth Dixon is still suspended for the first four games of the season, and the team hasn't signed any veteran free agents for its backfield. Coming off a 2016 campaign in which he set career-high marks in every significant statistical category, West has a clear path to a Week 1 role as the starter and lead ball carrier. His upside is still somewhat limited, as he's never been a major threat in the passing game and only had five runs of 20-plus yards on his 193 carries last season. The Ravens hope to use Danny Woodhead (knee) as their primary passing-down back, and the team still has high hopes for Dixon's involvement after Week 4.