Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers became the first wide receiver in Ravens history to reach the Pro Bowl this season. Baltimore’s WR1 had one catch for 12 yards and one rush for nine yards before his day came to an early end in Week 18 due to a knee injury.
Flowers missed practice early in the week ahead of Wild Card Weekend. His status for the game this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers has not been determined.
Flowers Sits Out Practice, Status for Saturday in the Air
On Wednesday morning, NFL Network Ian Rapoport reported that Flowers is a “long shot” to play this weekend against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
While he has a chance to return if the Ravens advance to the Divisional Round, Flowers is very sore and seems unlikely to go in the Wild Card Round.
From @GMFB: #Ravens WR Zay Flowers is a long-shot to play; Mike Vrabel interviews with the #Patriots tomorrow; The #Raiders fired Antonio Pierce after one season. pic.twitter.com/oND1JrxPZU
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) January 8, 2025
Flowers initially suffered the knee injury in the second quarter of Baltimore’s Week 18 matchup against the Cleveland Browns. He went down clutching his right knee on a 12-yard reception with 12:16 left in the second quarter. While it was a frightening image for Ravens fans, he was able to walk off the field under his own power.
However, he still went to the medical tent and later the locker room for further examination.
After initially being ruled questionable to return, Flowers was eventually ruled out at the start of the second half.
Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh was measured in his postgame assessment. The Ravens head coach noted that Flowers’ playoff availability was up in the air but stopped short of ruling him out.
“It’s not a season-ending injury, so it’s just going to be day-to-day,” Harbaugh told reporters on Monday, Jan. 6. “[Flowers] is going to try to do everything he can do to get back as soon as he can, and we’ll see where that takes us.”
Reports claimed that Flowers suffered a knee sprain. However, Harbaugh declined to comment on the nature or the extent of the injury.
If Flowers is out, it would be a major loss for Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense.
Flowers not only became Baltimore’s first 1,000-yard receiver since 2021 this season but the team’s first Pro Bowl receiver in franchise history. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Ravens feel confident in their remaining weapons to help shoulder the load.
Flowers was the only Ravens player to miss practice. However, two others — safety Kyle Hamilton (knee) and running back Justice Hill (concussion/illness) — were limited participants.
Hamilton was briefly shaken up during the game against Cleveland but returned soon thereafter. Hill has missed the past two games, the first due to a concussion and the second due to illness.
Guard Patrick Mekari returned to practice after playing only six snaps against the Browns due to illness. Return specialist and backup wide receiver Deonte Harty, who has been out since Week 6 with a knee injury, was a full participant after seeing his practice window opened for a return from injured reserve.
Fantasy Outlook for Flowers and the Ravens
Flowers suffered a knee injury over the weekend and is considered to be truly questionable at this point. (Harbaugh was vague when asked, labeling his WR1 as “day-to-day.”)
It goes without saying that you’re monitoring this situation, but with the Ravens playing on Saturday, you should have all the information you need to when it comes to setting a DFS lineup.
For playoff-long formats, I’d keep an eye on things as long as possible, but your instinct is going to fade any uncertain situation. I don’t have a problem with that, but it’s also not unique. If Flowers’ status is TBD when you’re drafting, his ADP is going to sink, and it’s on you to determine when the right time to pounce is.
Even if he does play, I don’t love the Wild Card matchup. If you think Baltimore advances, then we are in a buy situation because I do like how Flowers’ skill set plays in a likely matchup with the Bills.
For this weekend, we have two games of data when it comes to how Baltimore’s offense wants to utilize its WR1 in this specific spot and, to be honest, I don’t love it.
Flowers posted a 14+ yard aDOT in both Steelers games during the regular season, something that is very much outside of his normal usage pattern (three such games all season when not facing Pittsburgh). Those targets, naturally, come with more risk, which was reflected in his 50% catch rate across those two games (otherwise: 65.7%).
The more you dive into the target data, the more bizarre things get. We are looking at the smallest of samples, but a 19.5-yard aDOT from the slot doesn’t happen by accident (all other games: 6.6-yard aDOT from the slot). If I’m investing in Flowers in any given week, I’m doing it with the understanding that I’m betting on efficiency.
I’m not betting on splash plays, Rashod Bateman does that.
I’m not betting on touchdowns, Derrick Henry and Mark Andrews do that.
If I’m not confident in the type of routes that are going to be run or the health, how can I justify going this direction? Add in the fact that this is expected to be a positive game script for Baltimore, and I’m having a hard time seeing Flowers being worth the risk this week.