Fantasy Football: 32 Teams in 32 Days: The Baltimore Ravens

The first training camp opens up today, and since the Baltimore Ravens are the first team to start their pre-season preparations, I’m starting there. 32 teams in 32 days, starting in the Inner Harbor.

Off-Season Overview

The Ravens focused most of their off-season moves on revamping a passing game that finished bottom ten in both passing yards and touchdowns. Baltimore never found a replacement for the retired Steve Smith‘s production. The team’s top three receivers from 2017 — Mike Wallace, Jeremy Maclin and TE Benjamin Watson — have all flown the cage for other teams. Given their production last year, I doubt any of them will be missed.

Baltimore will look to revamp their passing game with off-season additions WR Michael Crabtree and rookie TE Hayden Hurst. Arizona castoff John Brown could emerge as a third option, but I wouldn’t count on it.

Joe Flacco continues his career-long campaign to prove that he’s an elite quarterback. His 2017 passer rating of 80.4 didn’t help his case as he nearly threw as many interceptions -13- as touchdowns -18-.

The one bright spot for Baltimore has been the emergence of running back Alex Collins. After getting cut by the Seahawks, the former 5th round pick caught on with the Ravens. and was just shy of 1,000 rushing yards, on an impressive 4.6 YPC.

I Gotta Get Me One of Those!

Redraft:

Collins is the best chance from this offense at having a big impact. I say ‘best chance’, simply because I don’t believe in Collins as a running back. But, with no real challenge for touches from the previously failed Buck Allen and Kenneth Dixon, the trail is blazed for Collins to have consistent touches.

Dynasty:

Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson took several first-team snaps in mini-camp, and even took over Flacco’s spot for an entire practice session. Jackson impressed in doing so. Whether it’s next year, or even beyond, the Ravens have made it clear that Jackson is a big piece of their plans. The Baltimore rookie has a chance to be the most productive out of a giant quarterback class from 2018.

Buyer Beware

If you’re looking for a receiving option, Michael Crabtree is one that might seduce you on draft day. It’s a well known name, and he’s usually a decent option to catch eight touchdowns in a season. Don’t be sucked in by his past red zone production.

Stay Woke

I don’t usually like to recommend rookies as sleepers. Partly because they’re pretty obvious. Partly because, especially as pass catchers, they’re largely unproductive. But in the Ravens’ case, I’m going to go away from my usual trend, and give today’s sleeper to TE Hayden Hurst.

This year’s first tight end off the board should settle right into Baltimore’s offense and become an immediate safety blanket for Joe Flacco. Hurst doesn’t have the hulking size that you usually love in a tight end, but he does have one advantage over many of the tight ends in fantasy: They’re gonna use him a holy crap-ton!

Baltimore’s lack of offensive weapons in the passing game should boost Hurst’s production. I expect he’ll be toward the top of the list in targets from week to week for a tight end by mid-season. He’s someone you can look to grab in the back end of the draft. Most ranking sites have him outside the top 20.

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Tomorrow’s preview: The Cleveland Browns.

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Fantasy Football: 32 Teams in 32 days: The Baltimore Ravens

By Matt Mikolas | Jul 18, 2018