Fantasy Football Player Notes

Some players are simply built differently. Henry has and remains one of those guys. Last year, at age 29, he ranked first in rushing attempts and second in rushing yards while showing little drop-off in his efficiency metrics. Last season, among 68 qualifying backs, Henry ranked ninth in explosive run rate and 11th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). While he will cross the dreaded age 30 threshold this year, it's tough to project a drop-off for Henry and any reasons that he can't continue to chug along as an RB1., especially when Henry has proven over the last two seasons that his pass game utility should increase despite his advancing age. Over the last two years, Henry has ranked 11th and 14th in TPRR and seventh and first in YPRR among backs. The big fellow isn't slowing down. Continue to believe in the King in 2024 as the Ravens' workhorse back.

Lamar Jackson has long been the best running quarterback in football -- and quite possibly the best of all time. But Jackson made enormous striders as a passer in 2023, thriving under the tutelage of first-year Ravens offensive coordinator Todd Monken. Jackson established new career highs in passing yardage (3,678), completion percentage (67.2%) and yards per attempt (8.0). And of course, Jackson provided plenty of fantasy value as a runner, with 821 rushing yards and five TD runs. Jackson finished QB4 in fantasy scoring in 2023 despite being held out of the season finale, and he had a spectacular stretch run for his fantasy managers, averaging 27.8 fantasy points per game in Weeks 14-17. Jackson will once again take his rightful place on the top QB tier for 2024 fantasy drafts.

An ankle injury in Week 11 ended Mark Andrews' regular season prematurely, but before he went down, he was having a characteristically productive season, ranking fourth among tight ends in fantasy scoring. Andrews' yearly finishes in fantasy points per game (0.5 PPR) since his second-year breakout in 2019: TE4, TE4, TE1, TE3, TE4. Over that fruitful five-year run, he's averaged 4.9 receptions, 60.6 receiving yards and 0.5 touchdowns per game. Andrews should once again be a prominent contributor in the Baltimore passing attack in 2024 and should be one of the first five tight ends to come off the board in fantasy drafts.

Rookie Zay Flowers emerged as Lamar Jackson's top target, hauling in 5 of his 8 targets (24% target share) for 115 yards and scoring the Ravens' lone receiving touchdown on a spectacular 54-yard play. As he has done all season, he was the clear-cut No. 1 WR for Baltimore. Flowers led the Ravens in air yards/target share (24%) in 2023, totaling over 1,000 air yards, 1,000 receiving yards and 6 receiving TDs (plus one rushing TD) on 86 catches in 18 games played in 2023. Although his final stat line as the WR29 overall and WR31 in points per game (10.7) suggest he left some production on the table. He finished 11th in route participation among all WRs (88%). Only 3 WRs with a route participation that high finished with fewer than 11 points per game.

Note that Flowers is reportedly under investigation for an alleged possible domestic assault, but he has not been charged with any crime at this time.

We'll see when Keaton Mitchell is active this season after tearing his ACL in Week 14, but when he's ready to go, Mitchell should be the primary backup to Derrick Henry in Baltimore. Mitchell was impressive in his rookie season. Among 71 qualifying backs, he buried the competition ranking first in explosive run rate, missed tackles forced per attempt, and yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Mitchell could have some stand-alone flex appeal working alongside Henry this season, but it likely won't be a consistent stream of fantasy points.

The Baltimore Ravens signed wide receiver Rashod Bateman to a 2-year contract through the 2026 season.

Devontez Walker's college career showcased his explosiveness and knack for making big plays, especially evident in his remarkable dominator rating at Kent State. Despite his impressive physical attributes and speed, Walker's limitations in generating yards after the catch are notable. Drawing comparisons to Marvin Jones, he presents significant upside but also carries a boom-or-bust label, highly dependent on his landing spot for optimal performance. Joining the Ravens in the fourth round offers him the opportunity to work with Lamar Jackson, but he faces competition for targets in a crowded receiving corps led by Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews. Walker's success in the NFL may hinge on his ability to carve out a role in a balanced offensive scheme.