After a strong rookie season, Zay Flowers will once again lead the Baltimore Ravens‘ wide receivers, but can either Rashod Bateman or Devontez Walker have fantasy relevance this season?
Traditionally this offense has supported one wide receiver, but do the fantasy outlooks for Flowers, Bateman, or Walker suggest there could be draft-day value for more than one of them?
Zay Flowers’ Fantasy Outlook and Projections
- PPR Fantasy Points: 235.4 (146.7 non-PPR)
- Receptions: 88.7
- Receiving Yards: 988.2
- Receiving TDs: 5.8
The historic rookie season we got from Los Angeles Rams WR Puka Nacua makes it easy to overlook just how encouraging Flowers’ 77 receptions for 858 yards and five scores on 108 targets were in 2023, good for a WR31 finish in full-PPR formats.
Flowers had a 68-yard touchdown called back against the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 and didn’t play in the season finale because the Ravens had already locked up their home-field advantage by that point, which means these numbers could have been even better last year.
During his rookie year, Flowers showcased his formation versatility (29% of his snaps coming from the slot), separation ability (2.27 yards of separation per target, seventh among receivers), and YAC ability (391 yards after the catch) all feel like encouraging signs for a player entering his second season in the NFL.
Additionally, Flowers was among the league leaders at the WR position in manufactured touches, catching 23 screen passes last year, tied for third trailing behind just Tyreek Hill and Ja’Marr Chase. Still, he flashed the ability to win on the intermediate and third level of the football field in his rookie year. Flowers even scored on one of his eight carries for 56 yards last year to further showcase his designed touches role in this offense.
Flowers is currently coming off the board at No. 54 overall, the WR25 in full-PPR formats. His price tag places him in the fifth round of fantasy drafts after DK Metcalf, DJ Moore, and Stefon Diggs.
I’d argue that Flowers is set to see the most targets of any of these players in 2024, which, when paired with his upside in this offense paired with an MVP-caliber quarterback, gives him a very nice fantasy ceiling to go with his proven floor in this offense.
Flowers is one of my breakout players of the 2024 NFL season, which makes him a slam-dunk selection in the fifth round of fantasy drafts.
– Derek Tate, Fantasy Football Analyst
Rashod Bateman’s Fantasy Outlook and Projections
- PPR Fantasy Points: 130.1 (82.7 non-PPR)
- Receptions: 47.4
- Receiving Yards: 644.7
- Receiving TDs: 2.7
Lamar Jackson was the MVP last season as he excelled in Todd Monken’s system and even in such a season, this offense had one receiver clear 565 receiving yards.
Flowers figures to take a step forward in his second season, and the tight end tandem of Mark Andrews/Isaiah Likely will soak up plenty of targets. Add in the fact that this team upgraded from Gus Edwards to Derrick Henry, and it’s difficult to make a case for Bateman as being anything more than a bye-week flier.
The Ravens find themselves with plus-matchups in Weeks 6-10-12, three of the popular bye weeks for explosive offenses. If you’re looking for Bateman exposure, add him as roster depth before you have to deal with those spots – you need not spend draft capital on him.
– Kyle Soppe, Fantasy Football Analyst
Devontez Walker’s Fantasy Outlook and Projections
- PPR Fantasy Points: 82.9 (49.7 non-PPR)
- Receptions: 33.2
- Receiving Yards: 364.7
- Receiving TDs: 2.2
The fourth-round pick averaged 17.0 yards per catch last season at North Carolina, blending nice speed (4.36-second 40-yard dash) with size (6’1”). It’s likely that veterans like Bateman and Nelson Agholor slot ahead of him for the first month of the season, but behind Flowers, the hierarchy of this receiver room is fluid, to say the least.
There’s no need to burn a roster spot on Walker right now, but make sure you keep an eye on him. His route count could foreshadow a breakout before the stat sheet does, and if you play it right, you can add Walker free of cost from the waiver wire in October.
– Soppe