I’m starting a new series where I pick a game a week and dive into what some big fantasy implications are and what to watch for during the game especially if you have some players in the game that week or the next week. Let’s get it going!
Game: Baltimore Ravens V.s. New York Jets
I know what everyone is thinking… Why in the world would I pick this game out of all the games in week 1. Hear me out. Yes, The Bills/Rams game is exciting and final score could end up being like a gazillion to a bajillion (Yes I know those aren’t real numbers). Sure everyone is wondering what Derrick Oien Henry will look like after last year’s injury and how Baker Mayfield will perform verses his old team, but the ravens Jets can answer a lot of fantasy owners questions about how to adjust their teams.
Let’s start at QB
Lamar Jackson – who I am a big fan of (not just because of the Louisville connection) and yes he is on one of my fantasy teams this year and was cruising last year before suffering his ankle injury. He was ranked 15th at his position on sleeper last year with the injury hinderance but was top 10 the two years prior including #1 in 2019. His ability to run and his agility make it easy for racking up fantasy points when he is healthy but due to his style of play this is also a concern. He didn’t play in the pre-season so we haven’t been able to get a good look at how he is moving and feeling but after the off-season I expect he will be ready to go. Despite the ankle injury he has been relatively healthy during his years in the NFL. As we know Lamar has always played with a chip on his shoulder which is great for Fantasy owners when you combine that with his talent. With the loss of Marquise Brown Lamar will most likely look to Mark Andrews more and Rashod Bateman should see a much bigger role which is something to watch for week 1 especially against a mid-level Jets secondary.
Zach Wilson – Nobody should have Zach Wilson as their starting QB for Week 1. He could go off for 40 fantasy points and I would stand by that comment. First, he was QB 30 last year and is constantly injured. Do I think he will be able to start week 1? Yes, I do. What I don’t think is he will be 100% and I don’t think he is going to run up any stats on the Baltimore Ravens Secondary who is coming into the season as a top ranked secondary in the league. Moral of the story is we will be watching how Zach Wilson moves around but outside of that won’t be watching him too much.
Running Backs
What you should watch for is the Jets run game. The Jets have some good potential coming out of last year at offensive line. The Injury to Mekhi Becton was unfortunate again but they signed Duane Brown to replace him. What this could mean however is a bigger run presence up the middle. With Michael Carter returning and the highly anticipated debut of Breece Hall the Jets have a lineup in the backfield that could generate big upside. I’m not one to get excited by the Jets but I’m also not one to shy away from obvious potential. This game will be a good tell to see how offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur plans to use his weapons on offense. Baltimore’s defensive line is nothing to poke fun at and with players like Justin Madubuike and Calais Campbell we should be able to get some good insight into the Jets running potential this season.
On the other side following last year’s injury debacle in the Ravens backfield there are still a lot of question marks there in the Fantasy world. Let’s table JK Dobbins for a second and talk Gus Edwards. Gus was placed on PUP guaranteeing we all won’t see him on the field for four weeks. Gus needs more time most likely in the strengthening/stability of his knee and perhaps mentally to feel good about it and trust it to be able to compete at his level. JK Dobbins on the other hand is questionable. For me this means do not play. If you have any other options, I would keep Dobbins on the bench. They will most likely watch his snap count and ease him back in. With the Ravens backfield depth including Kenyan Drake and Mike Davis there is no reason to rush him back in and cause the knee to flare up. If he makes it onto the field however it will be some good data points for the next few weeks to make some decisions about the flex and maybe RB2 spots depending on what your roster looks like.
Wide Receivers
Lamar has lost Marquise brown which will undoubtedly have some effect on the passing game. Brown had 1008 yards on 146 receptions last year averaging 11.08 yards per reception and finishing as WR22. They replaced him with youth with some decent speed. Both Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay ran 4.39 40s. Bateman should take on a much bigger role with Brown gone and will likely add some big upside to rosters that have him.
On the Jets side, the excitement revolves around Elijah Moore who showed some stints of greatness last year. A Quad injury as well as Covid cut his season short but if he can stay healthy then Zach Wilson could have a very reliable and option that is looking at a breakout season. Garrett Wilson also joins the receiving corps being drafted by the Jets in the first round of last years draft. He was an exciting player to watch at Ohio State where his 2021 season saw him grab 70 receptions for 1,058 yards. Zach Wilson will need time in the pocket which hopefully his offensive tackles can give him after the injuries if any big plays are going to develop. This game should let us know if the passing game has that chance.
So, you can see why I chose this game right? It may not be as glamorous as some of the other week 1 matchups, but the information gained from this game alone will allow fantasy owners to check in on Lamar, watch Mark Andrews possibly light it up, give us a look into Breece Hall, maybe see a return from JK Dobbins and weigh in on the Jets O-Line whilst seeing if the Baltimore secondary is as dominant as projected against some young explosive receivers from the jets. It has a little bit of everything.
