2022 Team Previews: Baltimore Ravens

Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Preview 2022

All ADP data is courtesy of Fantasy Pros.

** = target in drafts at this ADP

Top 120

Mark Andrews, TE (ADP: 25): Andrews is the first Raven off the board, and the TE2 after a breakout 2021 campaign in which he finally fulfilled our fantasies for him. Andrews’ obvious talent finally meshed with a target share befitting his ability and, voila, a star was born. Andrews smashed a couple of career highs, posting 107 receptions, 1,361 yards and scoring nine touchdowns, just one off his high mark of 10. In 2022, it’s possible Andrews could see even more volume, with Marquise Brown traded and Lamar Jackson hopefully not getting injured. While Andrews’ play justifies this ADP, it’s outside my nature personally to grab a TE this early. So while I probably won’t have many shares of him this season, I’ve got zero issues with others grabbing him here.

**Lamar Jackson, QB (ADP: 48): Jackson has had a bit of a weird offseason, not getting a contract done with the team but passive aggressively practicing and playing through that distraction. We’re glad to see it, because football is way more fun with Jackson helming one of the NFL’s most unique and fun offenses. Jackson is probably the best rushing QB in NFL history, having rushed for 1,000+ yards twice and averaging 11.1 attempts per game in 2021, slightly off his career-high (11.7). Some will knock Jackson’s passing ability and say it caps his ceiling below that of a Josh Allen. I couldn’t disagree more. While Jackson is not the caliber of passer that Allen is, let alone Patrick Mahomes, Aaron Rodgers or other elite QBs, Jackson is capable of putting up numbers close enough that, combined with his world-beating rushing, make for THE QB1.

He wasn’t at his best throwing the ball last season, tossing 13 interceptions along with his 16 touchdowns, but he did average 240.6 yards per game, the most of his career. Jackson also posted a 4.2% TD rate, the second lowest of his career, and a ways off not just the 9% mark of his MVP year, but his 6.7% rate in 2019. That’s closer to the player he is, so a return to that 6% rate will make a world of difference, as will some inevitable positive regression to his rushing touchdown total. Jackson only scored two rushing TDs last year, after scoring five, seven and seven in the previous three seasons. If you are determined to draft a surefire season-long starter at the position, pass on Allen and Mahomes and grab Jackson here.

J.K. Dobbins, RB (ADP: 59): Dobbins appears as if he’ll be ready to play Week 1, but whether or not the Ravens will view him as all systems go for a bell cow role is suspect. Regardless, a healthy Dobbins even on a restricted workload could provide huge value at this ADP. Baltimore ran the ball more than all but two teams last season, and they just traded their No. 1 WR this offseason without replacing him. This team is going to run and run and run and Dobbins is the man who will lead this team in carries. Now, he missed all of last year with a serious knee injury, but the last time we saw Dobbins he was an animal. Dobbins averaged six yards per carry and scored nine touchdowns on 134 rushing attempts. That was with Mark Ingram blocking him for much of the season, and splitting work with Gus Edwards once Ingram was out of the way. Now, Edwards is recovering slower from his own knee issues, and the remaining backs are either a low-draft capital rookie or a washed retread. Dobbins is going to get vulture at times by Jackson and other guys, but across the season, he’s going to surpass the RB24 mark.

Rashod Bateman, WR (ADP: 81): Bateman’s numbers were pedestrian in his rookie campaign, as he managed just one touchdown on 46 receptions and 515 yards, but the Ravens saw enough that they entrusted the WR1 role to him. Now, Andrews is the team’s top pass catcher and focal point through the air, but this could be a very fantasy relevant role if Bateman is up to the task. PFF isn’t sure he is, as he ranked as just their No. 76 WR on the season. Reception Perception was more favorable, noting he was very effective against zone and press coverage, and provides Lamar Jackson with a legitimate possession receiver. Baltimore’s low-volume pass attack may prove frustrating for Bateman managers some weeks, but this role is sneaky valuable and I believe Bateman can beat this WR35 ADP.

Fantasy Relevant (121-200 ADP)

Gus Edwards, RB (ADP: 193): Edwards was a player I was extremely bullish on earlier this spring before word came trickling out that his rehab was not progressing quickly. Now the word is he won’t be ready to start the season, and without being on the field I don’t see him gaining traction in this backfield now without Dobbins going down. Edwards is still an efficient rusher, and a super effective option near the goal line, but so is Dobbins, and Edwards has no receiving upside. Once he is fully healthy, Edwards will be arguably the highest-value handcuff in fantasy, and he’s still worth drafting. But now my hopes of him being startable without a Dobbins injury are likely dashed.

Sleeper Class (200 & later)

Mike Davis, RB (ADP: 238): It’s not impossible for Davis to have fantasy value. He is likely to start the year as Dobbins’ backup with Edwards shelved, and Dobbins might see a reduced workload early on. Davis is also a solid pass-catcher. But there’s very little upside here; even if he wrestled a big role on this team, he’s probably a worse option than Latavius Murray or Devonta Freeman were last year.

Kenyan Drake, RB (ADP: 243): Drake has been brought on late in the offseason, likely as depth, but potentially to serve as a pass-catcher out of the backfield while Mike Davis handles the heavy workload and J.K. Dobbins sits. When Dobbins is healthy, Drake makes more sense to roster than Davis, because Drake can make plays as a passing downs back. Drake has also shown he is viable in short yardage, scoring 10 TDs for Arizona just two seasons ago. With a big enough role on this team, Drake could be an RB2. But it’s much more likely that he’s just depth at the position, with a slightly more expanded role early on as Dobbins ramps up.

Devin Duvernay, WR (ADP: 249): Duvernay has been around now, and his experience could pay off with increased playing time in the wake of Marquise Brown departing the offense. Whoever slots in as Baltimore’s WR2 is likely fighting for the scraps left behind by Andrews and Bateman though, and Duvernay has never so much as flashed anything more than a competent NFL receiver. He’s not really draft-worthy, but just keep an eye out in the first week or two in case he's made some big leap and/or Bateman disappoints.