Say what you will about his playoff failings, but Jackson enjoyed
one of the best statistical seasons of all time last season, which
says a lot, since he’s already had two MVP awards. He surpassed
4,000 yards passing for the first time in his career, threw for
a career best 41 touchdowns, and only tossed four picks. He did
all this while continuing to be an elite runner, piling up 915
yards, his most since 2020. Not only was he incredibly consistent,
but he’s one of a handful of players that can single handedly
win you a week all by himself.
Not only do all the important skill position players return, but
the addition of veteran DeAndre Hopkins gives Jackson another reliable
set of hands at the intermediate, and red zone level. With Derrick
Henry forcing defenses to keep extra men in the box, expect Jackson
to repeat his passing efficiency numbers. While it's going to be
tough to repeat the 41 passing scores, Jackson should once again
contend to be fantasy’s best producer.
Not since 2001 (Warner and Faulk) has an offense had the No.1
fantasy quarterback and No.1 fantasy back on the same team, but
the Ravens did just that last season (Non-PPR). The 31-year-old
enjoyed a renaissance season for the ages, piling up nearly 2,000
yards on the ground to go along with a career best tying 18 total
touchdowns. His 5.9 yards-per-carry average was his best since
2020, and he showed absolutely no signs of slowing down in what
is the twilight of most running back careers. With few players
as dedicated to keeping their body in battle ready condition as
Henry, I see no reason for a significant drop off just yet. Time
catches up to everyone, but for now, the allure of 15+ touchdowns
and 1,500 yards in an elite offense is simply too good to pass
up.
Hill’s contract extension before last season was a bit
of a surprise, but as the season played out it made a ton of sense.
With Henry offering little as a pass catcher, Hill became an important
piece in the two-minute, hurry-up offense. He set career highs
with 42 receptions and 383 yards. With the Baltimore offense finally
able to make use of their backs out of the backfield, Hill should
remain an important chess piece. His standalone value is relegated
to leagues that only give points for receptions, as he simply
won’t see heavy ground volume, even if something were to
happen to Henry.
Touching the ball in only two games last year after returning
from a 2023 torn ACL, Mitchell never really was able to find his
groove. Healthy, and back to pre-injury form, Mitchell brings
an explosive element to the backfield. In 14-team leagues he’s
worth a stash based on his eye-popping performances two years
ago, but unless Henry misses time, there simply isn’t enough
meaningful snaps to be had.
Flowers followed up a strong rookie season with an even better
sophomore campaign, as he went over 1,000 yards, and nearly matched
his reception and touchdown totals. He was dynamic with the ball
in his hands, averaging over 14 yards-per-reception, but due to
the nature of the offense, and the wealth of receiving options,
had games where his participation was almost non-existent. Flowers
is just one cog in a high-octane offense, and just doesn’t
have much room for statistical growth. His brings a vitally important
element to the offense, but with the addition of Hopkins, resigning
of Bateman, and presence of Henry, Flowers’s place in the
pecking order changes on a weekly basis. He’s simply not
going to receive the volume or scoring opportunities necessary
to be anything more than a low end WR2.
After several injury plagued seasons, Bateman bounced back nicely
last year, piling up a career high 756 yards and nine touchdowns.
Despite some trade chatter in the offseason, Baltimore re-signed
Bateman to a three-year, 36-million-dollar extension in hopes
of a continuation of his breakout 2024, but it’s hard to
see an avenue to a big bump in his numbers. The receiver room
is a bit more crowded, and expecting a repeat of nine scores is
folly. Baltimore had the 2nd fewest pass attempts in the NFL last
season, so there is room for growth, but that’s not the
way this team is built, both philosophically or positionally and
thus Bateman is no better than the 3rd or 4th option in the passing
game.
After dominating for the better part of the last decade, Hopkins
joins the Ravens on a 1-year deal. On his third team in three
seasons, the former All-Pro brings a veteran element to a team
trying to get over the hump. While age has taken away his big
play ability, he still has some of the best hands in the game,
and should be a dangerous third down and red zone threat. Baltimore
didn’t bring him in to be the alpha, but they like his reliability
and consistency. Barring injury, I’d be surprised if he caught
more than 50 passes, but there is a scenario where he collects
6+ scores, making him an end of the roster option in certain leagues.
Andrews was nearly invisible until Week 6, sending fantasy owners
scrambling. But Andrews found his groove after that, and ended
up with a career best 11 touchdowns en route to another top-5
finish. While leg injuries have sapped some of the field stretching
speed he had early in his career, and Isaiah Likely has become
a bigger part of the offense, Andrews is still an elite option
down near the goal line and should push for double-digit scores
once again, as he led all tight ends with 15 red zone targets
and 10 touchdowns. Even with lower target and yardage numbers,
Andrews is in line for another top-5 finish.
The former 4th rounder out of Coastal Carolina has carved out
quite a niche for himself in Baltimore. His athletic profile,
and production has forced the Ravens to get him on the field,
and after last season, it’s clear he’s more than simply
a backup to Andrews. Likely set career highs in receptions (42),
yards (477) and touchdowns (6), and looks to have an increased
role in 2025. While not as big as Andrews, Likely plays more like
a receiver, and threatens defenses in a different area of the
field. When the Ravens go 12-personnel (two tight ends) defenses
have to respect both the run game, and Likely’s ability
to go deep on crossing routes. While he has the talent to be a
top-5 player at the position, only the presence of Andrews is
holding him back. With that, he should still see enough looks
to be a fantasy starter with the upside to be a whole lot more.
