The Baltimore Ravens have their backs against the wall as they have slipped to 5-5 on the year, with their postseason outlook in jeopardy. To make matters worse, Lamar Jackson is back on the injury report. The two-time MVP missed Wednesday’s practice due to an ankle injury, making his status a bit uncertain ahead of the Week 12 matchup with the Jets.
This would be a huge hit to Zay Flowers and each of the entire Ravens’ offense, especially given the stakes of where they sit on the season. Jackson has missed three games already this season and has battled injuries to his hamstring, knee, and ankle.
This also has some massive fantasy football implications with Jackson being one of the top performers and each other Ravens’ player set to feel the effects of his absence. Zay Flowers has been a fringe WR1 this season, even amid Jackson’s ailments. But if he is to miss the Week 12 matchup, should Flowers still be a lock for starting lineups?
Zay Flowers Fantasy Football Outlook for Week 12 vs. Jets
So far this season, Zay Flowers has tallied 53 receptions on 71 targets for 703 receiving yards and one touchdown. From a fantasy football perspective, Flowers is averaging 13.4 fantasy points per game based on DraftKings scoring. This ranks 27th among wide receivers and 86th among all players.
This is a favorable matchup for the Ravens against a 2-8 Jets team, even if they are stronger on the defensive side of the ball. So far this season, New York ranks 27th in points allowed and 20th in yards given up. Looking just at the pass defense, the Jets rank 12th in passing yards allowed, 19th in net yards per pass attempt, and 24th in passing touchdowns conceded. This outlook further worsened with the decision to trade away Sauce Gardner at the trade deadline.
But the bigger storyline internally is the availability of Lamar Jackson. Tyler “Snoop” Huntley is second on Baltimore’s depth chart, although Cooper Rush also started two games this season. In either case, the Ravens are likely to lean on more of a run-oriented attack. Cooper Rush attempted 19 and 20 pass attempts in his two starts, while Huntley attempted 22 pass attempts in his Week 8 start. For reference, Jackson averages 24.6 pass attempts per game.
Looking at Flowers’ production, he pulled in five receptions for 72 yards and six receptions for 42 yards in the two starts alongside Rush. In the lone start with Huntley, he had seven receptions for 63 yards. He has posted fantasy outputs of 12.2, 9.6, and 14.1 on DraftKings scoring in these three matchups. Flowers has not recorded a touchdown since Week 1, regardless of who is throwing him the football.
There is still a high floor of Flowers’ involvement in the offense, with no other pass catcher pulling in more than 32 receptions and no other wide receiver recording more than 16. A vulnerable Jets’ defense and the Ravens’ need to play with a desperation also points to his favor.
If Jackson is to suit up, expect Flowers to be in line for his typical workload. But given the context of this matchup, expect him to be involved in the offense regardless of who is starting under center. It is slightly disappointing he hasn’t quite taken the next step following his first 1,000+ yard season last year, but there are still far worse options to have in your lineup. Expect there to be a clear effort to get him the football with Flowers being the lone reliable receiver on the Ravens’ roster.
Stay tuned for more updates on Jackson’s status on DK Network as the season progresses, but feel confident in Flowers’ outlook against the Jets regardless.
