Baltimore Ravens
Stud: Mark Andrews, tight end
This is not the way it was supposed to happen in Baltimore. The Baltimore Ravens spent a first-round pick in 2018 on the TE position, but it was Hayden Hurst that was supposed to be the breakout player. They wisely doubled down on the position selecting Mark Andrews in the third round.
When Hurst broke his foot in training camp, Andrews stepped up and made a big impact. He led all rookie tight ends in receiving yards with 552. This season, he’s expected to be a featured target in the passing game. Lamar Jackson is a developing quarterback, and a reliable TE is often a QB’s best friend. Even with the presence of Hurst, Andrews makes for a low TE1 option if you miss out on the top players at the position.
Dud: Hayden Hurst, tight end
Baltimore’s offense appears to be fairly predictable right now. It’s going to be run-heavy, potentially utilizing running backs Mark Ingram and rookie Justice Hill in the same fashion that the New Orleans Saints used Ingram and Alvin Kamara. They will find creative ways to get the ball in the hands of speedy first-round wide receiver Marquise Brown. And a young developing quarterback in Jackson will rely heavily on a big target in the middle of the field.
Right now it looks like Andrews, not Hurst, will be the first option. We’ll likely see a lot of two TE sets, but all indicators point to Hurst being the second option at the position. If Hurst does get drafted in your league, it will be on his first-round pedigree rather than this year’s projections. Though he’s finally past the foot injury that plagued his rookie season, Hurst has battled a hamstring injury this offseason. Unfortunately, he’s starting to look like the next Tyler Eifert.
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