The Baltimore Ravens will travel to take on the Cincinnati Bengals on Sunday in Week 5. The spread currently stands at Ravens -2.5, with a game total of 51. The Ravens’ implied points are 26.8, and the Bengals’ implied points are 24.3.
Here’s fantasy football start-sit advice for every Ravens skill player who has the potential to make an impact during the game.
Lamar Jackson, QB
Jackson has thrown a total of 33 passes over the past two weeks (both wins) after averaging 37.5 attempts per game through the first two games of the season (both losses). But with his ability to gash defenses on the ground in this Todd Monken offense, he’s been able to finish as a top-10 fantasy QB in all four weeks this season with three top-five finishes to his name.
Longest QB streaks since 2023 with a 15+ yard rush
- Jackson: Weeks 14-17, 2023
- Kyler Murray: Week 18, 2023 – Week 3, 2024
- Jackson: Weeks 1-4, 2024
The reigning MVP has cleared 22 fantasy points in four of his past five games against the Bengals (50+ rushing yards in each of those contests) and has multiple passing scores in five of his past seven against the divisional rival.
Jackson is my top overall quarterback this week and will be heavily rostered across my DFS portfolio for his elite floor.
Derrick Henry, RB
Crown this man.
Henry took his first carry last week 87 yards to the house, the longest in Ravens franchise history, and has worked past any learning curve that was to be expected with switching teams.
RB finishes by week:
- Week 1: RB29
- Week 2: RB14
- Week 3: RB3
- Week 4: RB1
The idea was that adding Henry would give Baltimore a better chance to experience postseason success as his big frame gets more difficult to deal with as the temperature drops. As it turns out, 6’2” and 250 pounds is pretty tough to tackle regardless of the weather.
There will be the occasional game where the script works away from Henry (though you should take note of his three receptions last week), but that risk is worth the reward that you’ll experience far more often.
Zay Flowers, WR
This passing game as a whole hasn’t seen much volume lately with the Ravens cruising, and that has left Flowers’ manager wanting more.
Way more.
The only receiver in this offense that I believe is worthy of a roster spot has turned in consecutive weekly finishes outside of the top 60, a lack of production that has all but doomed your matchups (trust me, I’m well aware). Flowers has run a total of 33 routes across those two games, well down from the 42.5 he averaged per game through the first two weeks.
Sadly, this is part of the math with Henry. With a bell-cow back like that who is capable of dominating the game, struggles in the volume department are a part of doing business. Hang in there – we are still talking about the unquestioned top target in an elite offense in a prime spot.
I have no real concerns about going back to Flowers as a WR2 and would consider him a strong buy for those looking to get aggressive in the trade market.
Rashod Bateman, WR
The Bateman hype this preseason always felt like a trap, and with his yardage total declining each week this season (53-40-28-23), his time as a flier at the end of your bench has come to an end. This offense is struggling to provide any pass catchers with weekly value, and Bateman is pretty clearly the fourth option at best.
His 14.9 aDOT would seemingly point to some upside. I’m not buying it. Jackson’s average depth of throw sits at a career-low 6.6 yards, something that appears destined to be sustained as Todd Monken works in his quick-hitting offense for a second season. Bateman holds a role for the Ravens – it just doesn’t translate in the least for us.
Mark Andrews, TE
Andrews had more highlighted blocks last week than targets. And the one look he did get — he promptly put on the turf.
With one top-25 finish at the position and a downward-trending route rate, Andrews has put you in the same position that Kyle Pitts managers find themselves.
You’re in jail.
You could drop Andrews, but what are you gaining in doing so? You’re unlikely to get a résumé of production or exposure to a strong offense — Andrews obviously has both.
If you want to look at Zach Ertz or Tyler Conklin as band-aids until (hopefully) the Ravens lean into Andrews, I have no problem with that. I’m just not yet comfortable in cutting ties with him to make that happen.
Isaiah Likely, TE
That TE1 finish in the season opener feels like it came a decade ago. The athletic profile remains, and the potency of Baltimore’s offense isn’t a question, but the tight end position has been an afterthought.
Likely has out-snapped Andrews in each of the past two weeks after not doing so in the first two games, but he hasn’t finished a week as a top-20 producer at the position since he stole all of our FAAB money a month ago.
I have Likely ranked over Andrews for the rest of the season. I believe in this situation from a process standpoint, but we are one week away from him falling outside of my starting tier. Likely is my TE12 this week, and that’s more damning of the position than it is a reflection of current optimism on my end.