The Ravens just sent a clear message that Zay Flowers is their guy. Baltimore locked up their explosive receiver with a four-year, $140 million extension ($108 million guaranteed), making it clear he will be the engine of their passing attack moving forward. At $35M per year, Flowers ties Justin Jefferson ($35M average annual value) and trails only top market setters such as Chase, London, and Smith-Njigba.
This is a major stock-up moment. Flowers has already totaled 237 receptions, 3,128 yards, and 14 touchdowns since entering the league, while commanding elite usage with a 25% target rate last season. Now, with the Ravens investing superstar money in him, his role should only grow.
If Baltimore opens up the offense and continues moving Flowers around the formation, a Top-5 WR fantasy finish is within reach. The organizational commitment is there, and now he just needs a healthy and efficient Lamar Jackson under center for an elite target share to follow. Flowers currently slots in as PlayerProfiler’s WR11 for 2026 fantasy football drafts.
Thanks largely to hamstring and back injuries that caused ...
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and other ...
Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson followed up ...
New Baltimore Ravens offensive coordinator Declan Doyle plans to utilize Lamar Jackson under center more frequently in 2026 to unlock a highly explosive, balanced aerial attack. This schematic shift directly boosts the statistical upside of Zay Flowers, who is coming off a sophomore campaign where he commanded a healthy Target Share, and veteran tight end Mark Andrews.
Expect this creative system to elevate efficiency across the board, making the Ravens’ primary passing options premier targets for fantasy rosters. Lamar, Flowers and Andrews are all available at a discount in both best ball and fantasy football dynasty formats.
This is a shot across the box of the USS Tez Walker. Moving to the slot offers Elijah Sarratt advantageous matchups against linebackers but risks reduced usage in two-receiver sets compared to boundary threat Ja’Kobi Lane. While he was primarily a perimeter player in college, Sarratt’s high efficiency in limited slot work suggests he can thrive on PPR-friendly targets.
Despite the May coachspeak, Sarratt’s training camp progress remains critical He must earn his snap share as a Day 3 pick, which could eventually evolve into a consistent fantasy producer. Trapped on the Ravens’ run-first offense, and permanently behind Zay Flowers in the target pecking order, Sarratt is a long-shot to ever break out at the NFL level.
The Baltimore Ravens just secured a massive, 6-foot-4 target at No. 80 in Ja’Kobi Lane, a high-flying vertical threat who pairs an elite 19.8 Breakout Age (82nd-percentile) with the kind of 95th-percentile Catch Radius that makes life effortless for Lamar Jackson. Lane’s 104.2 Speed Score and surgical 23.9% Target Share prove he can add value to the Ravens on Sundays.
In dynasty formats, Lane joins a large group of WR that should be considered in the late 2nd/early 3rd round in a year without many RBs to be excited about.
The Ravens view Zay Flowers’ fifth-year option as a formality after his 1,211-yard breakout solidified his role as Baltimore’s undisputed WR1. While his upcoming extension likely trails the massive deals expected for Jaxon Smith-Njigba and Puka Nacua, his high-volume role remains secure following a quiet Ravens offseason.
Heading into 2026, Flowers is positioned for another heavy workload as the focal point of a consolidated passing attack. He is a strong buy in all leagues, particularly dynasty, as Flowers (age 25.5) is still pre-age apex.
When John Harbaugh was dismissed by the Baltimore Ravens after compiling a 193-124 record (including playoffs) over the course of his 18 seasons at the helm, questions abounded as to who would replace him. The Ravens reportedly had as many as 15 candidates, whittled down to Dolphins DC Anthony Weaver, Bills OC Joe Brady, and Chargers DC Jesse Minter. In the end, Minter’s familiarity as a former defensive position coach with Baltimore from 2017 to 2020 won out.
This is Minter’s first foray to the top of the coaching tree. He served as defensive coordinator at four different college programs with marked success, and then made the jump back to the NFL by being tapped by the Los Angeles Chargers as their defensive coordinator in 2024. He remained in that role until this coaching cycle, when his name repeatedly surfaced in several teams’ searches. In 2025-2026, LA ranked in the top 10 on defense in both points allowed and total yards. In Minter’s first season as defensive coordinator, the Chargers finished first in the league in defensive points allowed as well as 10th in total yards.
The Ravens, known for years as a defense-first team, have struggled recently. Although playing top-10 defense against the run in 2025, it was largely due to teams’ ability to throw at will. The Ravens avoided last place in passing yards yielded by only four per game (Dallas). The hiring of Minter signals a hope for the Ravens to return to an identity they’ve been known for for three decades.
Fantasy lowdown: Managers can expect the same offensive commitment to the run game from Baltimore, especially with Derrick Henry still holding the rock. Assuming Lamar Jackson is completely healed up for next season, he should see a significant bounce-back in his rushing yards. The Ravens and their new head coach hope to own the ball-control game, supplemented with timely passes to Zay Flowers and Isaiah Likely, whose takeover at tight end appears to be nearly complete. If anyone in dynasty leagues is selling low, it’s a good time to go shopping.
Author: Samwise (@BuyAndSellYou)
