Fantasy Football Player Notes
Week 1 Rankings
5.
Derrick Henry
RB - (vs . HOU)
The king of rushing volume, Henry has led the NFL in carries in three of the last four seasons and has averaged 22.7 rushing attempts per game since 2019. He even caught a career-high 33 passes last season after never getting to 20 receptions in any of his six previous seasons. Henry has finished top five in fantasy points per game in each of the last five seasons. At age 29 and with plenty of mileage on the odometer, Henry might not have a lot of good years left. But now is not the time to fade him. Start Henry with confidence this week against a New Orleans run defense that ranked 20th in DVOA last year.
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15.
J.K. Dobbins
RB - (vs . HOU)
Must-start in Week 1. Dobbins has been kept in bubble wrap for the entire preseason, with the expectations set that he will assume RB1 duties in the Baltimore backfield. The Texans run defense has been a bottom-5 unit over the past three seasons, so Dobbins should be set for a very productive day rushing. The Texans tried to plug up their interior with the additions of Sheldon Rankins and Hassan Ridgeway this offseason, but it remains to be seen if new head coach Demeco Ryans can turn this unit into the stingy 49ers run defense of the south with overall inferior personnel.
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49.
Dalvin Cook
RB - (vs . HOU)
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74.
Zay Flowers
WR - (vs . HOU)
He's a first-round rookie WR with a clear path to targets. He's the only Ravens pass-catcher that hasn't missed significant time this preseason with any injury concerns, so I like him as my highest-ranked Baltimore WR entering Week 1. The best ability is availability... which has not been the case for either of his teammates Odell Beckham Jr. or Rashod Bateman.
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89.
Rashod Bateman
WR - (vs . HOU)
Before I can click the button on Bateman, I need to see that he is fully healthy with zero limitations. The Texans have an underrated secondary - 15th in defensive EPA/dropback on defense in 2022 - and that makes me lean toward sitting non-Flowers Ravens WRs in Week 1. Very much want to see how the targets are distributed with the starting offense playing a full allotment of snaps.
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126.
Isaiah Likely
TE - (vs . HOU)
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208.
Justice Hill
RB - (vs . HOU)
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253.
Nelson Agholor
WR - (vs . HOU)
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263.
Charlie Kolar
TE - (vs . HOU)
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326.
Patrick Ricard
RB - (vs . HOU)
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381.
Tylan Wallace
WR - (vs . HOU)
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488.
Owen Wright
RB - (vs . HOU)
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