Fantasy Football Player Notes

The BIG DAWG KEEPS EATING! Some players are just built different. I don't know what else to say in regard to Henry. I don't foresee any slowdown from the Baltimore behemoth. Last year, he nearly rushed for 2,000 yards (1,921) and finished with 18 total touchdowns as the RB4 in fantasy points per game. Among 46 qualifying backs, he ranked third in explosive run rate, eighth in missed tackles forced per attempt, and 13th in yards after contact per attempt (per Fantasy Points Data). Henry is an RB1 until he hangs up the cleats. I won't bet against the king ever again.

Lamar Jackson stole the QB1 crown away last year. It was his first time as the QB1 in fantasy points per game since his monstrous 2019 campaign. I know this won't shock anyone, but his rushing production remained stellar as he led all quarterbacks with 915 rushing yards while ranking tenth in rushing touchdowns and fourth in carries per game. Jackson also took more strides as a passer, finishing with a career-high 4,172 passing yards and 41 passing touchdowns. Hopefully, the shade that he received earlier in his career as a passer is dead and buried ten feet deep because he is a stellar thrower of the football. Among 40 qualifying passers last season, Jackson ranked first in yards per attempt, fifth in CPOE, and seventh in hero throw rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Jackson could be the QB1 overall again in 2025.

Zay Flowers built on a strong rookie year with a 1,000-yard sophomore campaign, finishing as the WR24 in total points (WR33 per game). He maintained a 25% target share (12th among WRs) and saw a major jump in efficiency, ranking 13th in YPRR (2.25) and 7th from Week 5 onward (2.57). Flowers averaged 11.5 points and 74 receiving yards per game during that stretch and remains Lamar Jackson's clear No. 1 option. With better touchdown luck in 2025, Flowers could easily take another leap into the high-end WR2 tier entering his third season.

Andrews is one of the best tight end values this year with the talent to revisit top 3-5 fantasy tight end status. Last year, Andrews was the TE7 in fantasy points per game, but it was heavily influenced by his 11 receiving scores as he ranked only 14th in receptions and ninth in receiving yards among tight ends. His recovery from tightrope surgery impacted his early season effectiveness and usage. In Weeks 1-9, he was the TE16 in fantasy points per game, posting an 11.3% target share, an 18% TPRR, 1.77 YPRR, 32.1 receiving yards per game, a 13.9% first-read share, and 0.110 first downs per route run. After Week 9, every discernable per-route metric that we should care about improved for Andrews as he posted an 18.1% target share, a 24% TPRR, 2.31 YPRR, 48 receiving yards per game, an 18.9% first-read share, and 0.127 first downs per route run as the TE5 in fantasy points per game (per Fantasy Points Data). Buy the dip on Andrews and enjoy another stellar year from the Baltimore stalwart.

Rashod Bateman finally stayed healthy in 2024 - and delivered his most productive NFL season yet with 51 catches for 846 yards and 11 touchdowns. He averaged 9.3 fantasy points per game (WR45) and quietly led the Ravens in end-zone targets while eclipsing 1,000 air yards. Bateman also flashed when Zay Flowers missed time late in the year, averaging 13.4 points per game in that stretch. He finished 12th in ESPN's WR Open Score, signaling his skill set as a separator. With potential regression in team health and an aging Mark Andrews, Bateman is a prime candidate for a true fifth-year breakout in 2025 - and a sharp late-round pick in fantasy drafts.

Isaiah Likely's path to fantasy relevance has been blocked by fellow Ravens TE Mark Andrews for most of Likely's three NFL seasons. But Likely has had his moments, particularly when Andrews has been sidelined. In the nine games Andrews has missed over the last three years, Likely has averaged 3.4 catches, 50.3 yards and 0.7 touchdowns. Prorated, that would work out to 58 catches, 855 yards and 11 touchdowns over a full season. Likely and Andrews are both in the final years of their contracts with the Ravens. Likely has intriguing upside, but we might not get to see it until he and Andrews have been decoupled.

DeAndre Hopkins signed a one-year, $5 million deal with the Ravens, but the 33-year-old veteran is more of a real-life depth addition than a fantasy asset at this stage. Coming off a WR48 finish (WR59 in points per game) with 639 yards and 6 TDs in 2024, Hopkins faded badly down the stretch - failing to top 40 yards in any of his final seven games with the Chiefs. He was at least targeted at a high rate (25% target rate per route run), but part of that stems from his low weekly snap share. In Baltimore, he joins a crowded WR room and will likely operate as a rotational possession option in a run-first offense. Unless injuries hit, Hopkins is unlikely to command enough volume to matter in most fantasy leagues.