Just when it felt like Mark Andrews had earned all our trust back with some huge performances, he’s been an absolute fantasy dud in two of Baltimore’s last three games. In Week 9, Andrews was held to only two catches for 26 yards against the Broncos. In Week 11, Andrews again posted a pair of receptions, this time for a paltry 22 yards. Heading into a tough matchup on Monday Night Football, is there any reason to believe that Andrews turns things around this week?
Here’s the most terrifying aspect of Andrews’ down campaign: He’s actually been about as efficient as you could possibly imagine. While the veteran’s target share and snap rate are way down from where they’ve sat in the past, Andrews is in possession of a career-best 82.1% catch rate through 10 games, as he’s hauled in 32 of his 39 targets. Nowhere has this trend been more true than in the red zone. Andrews does lead all Ravens skill position assets with five receiving touchdowns in 2024, yet the fact he’s accomplished this on only seven red zone targets is totally unsustainable. The 29-year-old’s five red zone scores rank fourth in the NFL. Those seven red zone targets sit in a tie for 52nd.
That’s the rub with Andrews at this point. Like most tight ends, his value has become completely touchdown dependant. That’s the sad reality of a pass-catcher that’s seen five targets or fewer in all but one game to start this season. Though, if that’s the profile you’re going to inhabit, it’s at least nice to do it on an offense that averages 4.1 red zone drives per contest — the second-best mark in the NFL.
At the end of the day, your opinion on Andrews’ viability comes down to your level of desperation. At a position with little depth in most season-long formats, you’re probably going to need to start Andrews in a week where six teams are on bye. It’s also not like his $4,600 salary in Showdown is all that egregious, even when going up against a Chargers squad that’s conceded the ninth-fewest FPTS to opposing TEs. Andrews is fine. You simply need to hope he continues to catch everything he sees in high-leverage opportunities, if you want him to reach his ceiling.
Start or Sit Mark Andrews? Start.
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