NFL Network’s Ian Rapoport reports that the Ravens are finalizing a trade with the Cardinals for Jacoby Brissett, with the deal expected to be completed this weekend. The move comes after injuries to Lamar Jackson (thumb) and Tyler Huntley (toe) left Baltimore scrambling for quarterback depth. Rookie UDFA Joe Fagnano will start Thursday night against Jacksonville, but Brissett figures to take over under center once the trade is finalized.
Brissett’s arrival provides a more proven option under center than rookie Fagnano. The veteran proved capable of supporting elite fantasy production in Arizona. Zay Flowers is particularly well-positioned to benefit from Brissett’s willingness to target receivers in the short and intermediate areas of the field. Rookie Ja’Kobi Lane still has a pulse as a bench stash, boasting an 89th-percentile catch radius that makes him a potential red-zone weapon.
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Tyler Huntley will start in week 7 after Lamar Jackson was ruled out with an ankle injury. The Ravens average 241 passing yards per game and 10.1 yards per attempt with Jackson under center, but only 143 yards and 5.9 yards per attempt with Huntley the last 2 weeks.
Zay Flowers has seen the biggest decrease in production with Huntley under center. He averaged 22 fantasy points per game in week 1-4, but only 13 in weeks 5 and 6. His yards per route run dropped from 6.6 to 1.7, and his passer rating when targeted dropped from 150 to 85 in the split.
The Ravens activated Ja’Kobi Lane from injured reserve Saturday after three full practices, positioning the rookie to return against Cleveland following a wrist injury suffered in Week 1. With Rashod Bateman having missed practice Thursday with a shoulder issue, Lane has an opportunity to earn a larger role alongside Zay Flowers, bringing a 104.3 Speed Score and 92nd-percentile Burst Score, according to PlayerProfiler.
Lane is a must stash dynasty leagues and is a deep bench stash in redraft leagues, though his one reception on three targets before the injury leaves little evidence of a dependable weekly workload. Keep him out of starting lineups where possible and monitor his routes and targets Sunday, particularly with Tyler Huntley replacing the injured Lamar Jackson, lowering expectations for Baltimore’s offense on Sunday.
This is disappointing news for Zay Flowers who ranks 1st in both yards per route run and explosive rating. However, his 29% target share makes him a comfortable start regardless of who’s under center.
Four weeks after having wrist surgery, Ja’Kobi Lane may suit up this week to play against the Cleveland Browns. The focus of the Ravens passing game still funnels through Zay Flowers, as he saw the bulk of the targets last week, with Rashod Bateman trailing behind him.
Lane should be added in deep fantasy football leagues now as a potential desperation flex play if he does suit up this weekend, though the Ravens’ starting quarterback situation is uncertain at this time. Flowers, Bateman and Lane have only played two quarters together in Week 1. Ravens WR target distribution will be highly intriguing, especially once Lamar Jackson is activated, in the weeks ahead.
Lamar Jackson faces an uncertain recovery timeline from a unique ankle sprain sustained against the Tennessee Titans. Strangely, the sprain is neither a low nor high ankle sprain, leaving his Week 5 status in serious doubt.
Tyler Huntley will likely step under center, forcing Baltimore into a run-heavy script, which would downgrade Zay Flowers and other Baltimore targets given Huntley’s limited throwing ceiling.
