Fantasy Football Player Notes

Injuries and a steep decline in rushing production cratered Lamar Jackson's fantasy value in 2025. After finishing QB1 in fantasy scoring in 2024, Jackson plummeted to a QB20 fantasy finish last season and was QB16 in fantasy points per game at the position. Jackson lost three games to an early-season hamstring injury and one game to a late-season back injury. He also dealt with knee, ankle, and toe issues that may have contributed to the sharp drop-off in his rushing numbers. In his first six seasons as a full-time starter, Jackson averaged 10 rushing attempts and 63 rushing yards per game. In 2026, he averaged 5.2 rushing attempts and 26.8 rushing yards per game. Jackson has been an elite fantasy scorer at the position for so long that it's reasonable to think better health will propel him to another high-end QB1 season. It's worth noting, however, that Jackson will be working with a new offensive coordinator, 29-year-old Declan Doyle, a former assistant to Bears head coach Ben Johnson.

Last year, Zay Flowers posted career-best marks across the board with 86 receptions, 1,211 receiving yards, and a WR12 finish in fantasy points per game. It was amazing to see for a player who also ranked eighth in target share (27.7%), 11th in receiving yards per game (71.2), seventh in yards per route run (2.61), and tenth in first-read share (33.3%, per Fantasy Points Data). While Flowers also saw 19 deep targets last year, the big concern with him is his touchdown upside. Flowers has never had more than five receiving touchdowns in any season, and with only 11 red zone targets last year, it's tough to project a huge spike in that this season, but there could be hope with the arrival of offensive coordinator Declan Doyle. I'm not projecting that Doyle heads into this season drawing up more usage for Flowers near the goal line, but it can't possibly get any worse than it has been previously. Flowers is a strong WR2 with WR1 upside again this year.

Last year was another impressive year for Derrick Henry. He didn't show any signs of slowing down with 307 rushing attempts, 1.595 rushing yards, 16 total touchdowns, and an RB8 finish in fantasy points per game. Last year, among 49 qualifying backs, Henry ranked 16th in yards after contact per attempt and seventh in explosive run rate (per Fantasy Points Data). Henry won't contribute much in the passing game, but that's a given at this point. It doesn't crush his overall production, but it isn't there to help add to his weekly floor. Henry had five games last year as RB25 or lower in weekly fantasy scoring. I still want to invest in Henry as an RB1 again in 2026. If Lamar Jackson can bounce back, Henry could inch back closer to his 2024 production (RB4 in fantasy points per game). He's at worst a low-end RB1 with top-five upside.

Is Mark Andrews poised for a bump in productivity now that TE Isaiah Likely has left the Ravens for the Giants, leaving Andrews as the only established pass-catching tight end on the Baltimore roster? Or is Andrews, who turns 31 on Sept. 6, simply out of gas? Andrews' production cratered last season. He had career lows in yards per game (24.8), yards per catch (8.8) and yards per target (6.0). Some of Andrews' problems were undoubtedly related to Lamar Jackson's 2025 health issues. The Ravens' starting QB missed four regular-season games and didn't appear to be fully healthy in others. If Jackson returns to form and Andrews sees a target increase in the absence of Likely, Andrews could offer midrange TE1 numbers at a low-end TE1/high-end TE2 price. Andrews has drawn 69 and 70 targets the last two seasons despite playing 17 regular-season games both years. He drew 153 targets in 2021 and 113 targets in 15 games in 2022.

The Ravens' Tyler Loop finished 12th in fantasy scoring last season as a rookie, averaging 8.5 fantasy points a game. Loop hit 30-of-34 field goals last season. He missed only one FG attempt from inside 50 yards but was only 1-of-4 from 50 yards or longer. Loop hit 44-of-46 extra points. The Ravens tied for 14th in FG attempts last year. With better health for star QB Lamar Jackson, who missed four games last season and appeared to be less than 100% in others, the Ravens could present Loop with more scoring opportunities in his second NFL season.

With new HC Jesse Minter leading a healthier Ravens defense against an easier schedule, I'd project Baltimore to get back into the top-tier DST conversation. The cupcake schedule to open 2026 also benefits them greatly: Colts, Saints, Cowboys, Titans, Falcons and Browns. Draft that Ravens DST has the second-easiest schedule through the first six weeks of the year (top-5 in the FantasyPros SOS overall).

2026 4th-rounder Elijah Sarratt may have been overshadowed by Baltimore's earlier selection of Ja'Kobi Lane, but the former Indiana receiver offers an intriguing pathway to Year 1 relevance. Sarratt enters a crowded, run-heavy offense, yet his strong production profile, early breakout age, and red-zone skill set could help him carve out a role quickly if Mark Andrews continues declining. The Ravens already have their No.1 WR in Zay Flowers, so expectations should remain tempered, but Sarratt's ability to win contested catches and earn targets gives him sleeper appeal. Among Baltimore's rookie receivers, he might be the better value bet relative to cost.