The question of is Lamar Jackson playing in Week 11 sprung up for fantasy football managers when he missed the Baltimore Ravens Friday practice with an illness. Heading into Sunday morning, should we be worried about Jackson’s availability for Week 11, or is there nothing to worry about?
Update: Lamar Jackson is active for the Ravens’ Week 11 game.
Is Lamar Jackson Playing Today?
After practice on Friday, head coach John Harbaugh was quick to squash any concerns about Jackson’s availability for Sunday. Harbaugh told reporters that his QB would “be fine for Sunday.” However, Jackson was listed as questionable, despite Harbaugh’s assertions that he would be on the field in Week 11 against the Carolina Panthers.
Up to this point, Jackson has not missed a single game in his fifth season with the Ravens. However, it is worth noting that Jackson did miss a game due to illness last year, in Week 11 against the Chicago Bears. We did not get any specifics as to the illness, so it will somewhat depend on how he feels Sunday morning.
MORE: Week 11 Fantasy Start/Sit Recommendations
Based on what we heard from Harbaugh, it would be a surprise if Jackson did not at least give it a go this week. If Jackson were to miss time, then Tyler Huntley is the only backup QB on the roster. Therefore, the fact we did not see Anthony Brown get elevated from the practice squad would suggest the Ravens were not concerned about Jackson’s availability as of Saturday afternoon.
On Sunday morning, NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport tweeted that “Jackson is playing today.” The strength of that wording would tend to suggest there is no further question here. However, things can change quickly with illnesses, so let’s examine the fantasy value of Jackson, Huntley, Mark Andrews, and the running game based on the range of outcomes this week.
Fantasy Implications of Jackson’s Week 11 Status and Tyler Huntley’s Potential Outlook
If Jackson is active, it will be close to impossible not to start him. After a hot start to the season, things have cooled off somewhat for Jackson in the last six weeks. Through the first three weeks of the year, he had scored 102.2 fantasy points, at an average of just over 34 fantasy points per game.
Since then, he has only topped 20 fantasy points once, in Week 8. However, he has also never dipped below 10 fantasy points this season, thanks in large part to his rushing ability. He is averaging 70.6 rushing yards per game with a career-high yards per rush of 7.4. That ability with his legs offers him a solid floor while also making his ceiling very enticing.
Depending on the nature of the illness, that ability to make explosive plays with his legs could be a little compromised. Therefore, his floor and ceiling might be slightly lower than we expect on a weekly basis. However, it would still be tough even to contemplate not starting him this week if he is set to start.
If Tyler Huntley does end up starting, there is a wide range of potential outcomes. In the five games he has played and thrown over 30 passes, there have been varied results. In the first three games, Huntley averaged 234.7 passing yards with a completion percentage over 70% and three touchdowns.
In the first two games, he added just over 40 rushing yards per game. Then he did his best impression of Jackson in the third game, with 73 rushing yards and two touchdowns. That rushing output is the key because even when he struggled in his final two starts last year, his 126 combined rushing yards ensured he was not a complete bust for fantasy managers.
However, when throwing the ball, he struggled in those final two games. He averaged just 169 passing yards, throwing three interceptions without a single passing touchdown. He also lost three fumbles across the five games, so there are some potential downsides.
If Huntley does end up a surprise starting option, then he is a somewhat intriguing potential value in DFS and in Underdog Fantasy Best Ball leagues. His ceiling is intriguing, but there is a dangerous floor, so he is a risk-reward play this week.
Is There a Major Impact on Mark Andrews, Gus Edwards, and Kenyan Drake?
If Jackson plays, it would be a surprise if we see him look any different in the passing game. The biggest question in the passing game is the health of Mark Andrews. If the start tight end is absent or is heavily limited, others will need to step up. We have seen Jackson support both Isaiah Likely and Demarcus Robinson at times this year, so if Andrews is out, both should get a boost.
If Andrews is active, but it is Huntley under center, you are likely still leaning toward starting him. In the five games last year where Huntley played significant time, Andrews saw his fantasy output increase by around five fantasy points per game.
In the absence of Jackson, the Ravens funneled just over 11 targets per game to Andrews. That resulted in 8.6 receptions, a touch under 100 yards, and 0.6 receiving touchdowns per game. All three of Huntley’stouchdown passes last year went to Jackson.
In terms of the backfield production, it is crucial to note that the running game did not suffer in the absence of Jackson. In fact, it thrived. The Ravens’ run game saw a slight increase in attempts and rushing touchdowns in the games Huntley played considerable time. However, the biggest boost came in rushing yards, averaging around 160 yards per game as opposed to 135 with Jackson.
Therefore, there is plenty of potential here for the running backs. In those games with Huntley, the backs contributed three of the five rushing touchdowns and an average of 102.8 rushing yards. Without even considering their receiving work, there is the potential for a solid fantasy output from the RB group this week.
The problem is that the work could be split between two or three backs. If Gus Edwards suits up, then both he and Kenyan Drake will likely see their ceiling impacted. If Edwards misses the game, then Drake would be an ideal starter to consider this week against the Panthers.