Dynasty Capsule: Baltimore Ravens

Every year we give our premium content members a team-by-team, player-by-player look at the NFL season that was. The coverage will be in-depth, but because the Dynasty Capsule series begins immediately after the season, we won’t use it to discuss free agency or the draft. Come see us in early May once Mr. Irrelevant is off the board for another 32-article series giving you the same detailed discussion you’ll see below.

Buckle up dynasty fans, because you’re about to be reminded why our motto is, “There is no off-season.”

Quarterback

Lamar Jackson

The new-look Baltimore Ravens finished the 2018 regular season with a 10-6 record and an AFC North division title, and Jackson proved to be the future for this franchise. After taking over the starting quarterback position in week 11, Jackson led the Ravens to a 6-1 record to finish the season leaning on a great defense and a run-heavy offense.

Skeptics wondered how the Ravens would balance Jackson’s athletic running ability with his questionable passing accuracy. The answer was simple: run the ball. In his seven regular season starts, he threw for just 1,200 yards and failed to surpass 200 yards passing in all but one of them. He threw six touchdowns and three interceptions while finishing the season with an overall QBR of 48.7. The difference however, came on the ground.

Jackson rushed a total of 147 times for 695 yards and five touchdowns. In retrospect, he was responsible for 11 touchdowns in his seven starts which really is impressive considering the balance in which he did it. Most would say the Ravens offense regressed to fit Jackson’s limited passing attack, but it worked and will give areas of improvement for Jackson in 2019.

In September of 2018, Jackson held an ADP of 169, being taken near the halfway point of most drafts. He now holds a rank of 101.17 in January 2019 being selected in the mid to late eight round.

It is clear that Jackson is the future of this franchise. Now that the Ravens know what skills they are working with, it will be interesting to see which pieces they acquire in the 2019 Draft to build around their superstar talent quarterback.

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Joe Flacco

It was inevitable that Flacco would be replaced by Jackson in 2018. While most thought it would have happened later in the year, the Ravens were in a tough spot due to being in playoff contention.

Flacco was actually well on his way to one of his better seasons in the last three years. In nine games, he threw ten touchdowns, six interceptions and increased his yards per completion compared to 2016 and 2017.

It is evident that the Baltimore Ravens will release Flacco this off-season and allow the 34-year-old veteran to play out the rest of his career elsewhere. Jacksonville, Miami and Denver have all expressed some interest, but it also appears the Ravens want him dealt to the NFC. Doing so this year would save the franchise over $10m in cap space, so it should be done sooner rather than later.

Roster him in superflex leagues with the chance that he finds an immediate fit for a year or two.

Robert Griffin III

Griffin is set to be a free agent heading into the off-season. It appears he will explore his long-term options with some other teams, but I would expect to see him back in Baltimore for the 2019 season. He and Jackson fit well in the scheme the Ravens are attempting to implement, and Griffin’s character and experience could go a long way in sophomore’s development.

I don’t foresee him landing any kind of starting job, so only roster him in deep superflex leagues.

Running Back

Gus Edwards

The Ravens’ backfield is a dangerous one, in that you really never know where the touchdowns are going to be scored, or whose usage is going to take a hit. Edwards blew up the fantasy scene in 2018 with his two straight 100+ yard rushing games, leaving dynasty owners scrambling to pick up the shares of him that were left on waivers.

He finished with 718 rushing yards, two touchdowns and a 5.2 yards per carry average that really shined when paired with Jackson at QB. Edwards surpassed 75+ rushing yards in six of the nine games that he saw true action. The only thing really holding him back was the lack of touchdowns.

He currently holds an ADP of 132.83, and we should continue to see him rise a bit in the rankings depending on what moves the Ravens make in the backfield this off-season.

Given his smooth transition into a starting role, and his ability to take on a heavy workload with Jackson, I would expect Edwards to retain the starting role heading into fall camp, and he should be a top 20 fantasy running back in 2019.

Kenneth Dixon

Dixon has seen his ADP skyrocket over the last four months, and for good reason. He started September 2018 with a 203.5 ranking, but has since climbed to 115.67.

It remains clear that the Ravens love the skill-set that Dixon possesses, as they have been patient with his many injuries and off-field issues. 2018 seemed to pay dividends in Dixon’s favor as he rushed for 333 yards, two touchdowns and a 5.6 yards per carry average, which shows the great vision he possesses as a runner.

While the numbers seem a bit low, Dixon was only healthy for six games this season but showed flashes of potential when on the field.

At 25 years old, he is signed through 2019, so he should be back for the upcoming season unless some kind of off-field incident occurs. He proved to be favorite above Javorius Allen and Ty Montgomery down the stretch so he should get his chance alongside Edwards in 2019.

Alex Collins

Almost the complete opposite of Dixon, Collins has seen his value plummet from a fantasy perspective over the last several months. He came into the season expecting to be the RB1 in a run-heavy offense, but lacked efficiency and eventually was phased out of the running game with a season-ending foot injury.

In September of 2018, Collins held an ADP of 54.33, and has since dropped to 191.17. He is a bruising running back capable of running between the tackles, but will most likely be doing so elsewhere in 2019. At 24 years-old, Collins should be able to pick up a decent paycheck with a franchise in need of a workhorse running back.

In 2018, he started ten games, ran for 411 yards at a measly 3.6 yards per carry average, but did find the end zone seven times, which has always been his biggest strong suit.

Don’t give up on Collins yet. The window is open now to buy extremely low. He is still at a prime running back age, and if he lands in a favorable situation, he could once again put up numbers similar to his 2017 season.

Javorius Allen

Allen is set to be a free agent in 2019. He has found favor within the Ravens organization for the past few years but did not see any action on the field in the last four games of the season.

He primarily had filled in as the third down back, catching passes out of the backfield, but with the acquisition of Ty Montgomery, it would appear that one of the two has to go.

Allen finished the season with 110 rushing yards, three touchdowns and a 2.7 yards per carry average. He caught 35 passes for 196 yards through the air, including two touchdowns.

His ADP in September of 2018 was 176.83 and has since declined to 235.83. Allen can be worth a roster spot in very deep dynasty leagues, but I don’t expect him to be given a significant role from a fantasy perspective no matter where he lands this year.

Ty Montgomery

While the Baltimore Ravens’ offensive style really limited the usability of Montgomery, the organization did prove that they are willing to get him involved in a variety of different roles.

He also is set to be a free agent in 2019, and it would seem to be a good fit for Montgomery to re-sign in Baltimore and be utilized as the primary third-down back with Jackson. At 25 year old, he has low usage on his body, and though he has had a history with injuries, he could thrive in a run-heavy offense that allows him to focus simply on pass catching.

Wide Receiver

John Brown

Unfortunately, in a run-heavy offense, it is receivers like Brown who take the biggest hit, not only in usage but also for future contract extensions.

The 28-year-old veteran got off to a red hot start in 2018, catching four touchdowns in the Ravens first seven games. He cooled off significantly the rest of the season, totaling only five touchdowns on the season and 715 yards receiving.

In the seven games Jackson started, Brown caught only one or fewer targets in five of them, while only catching two passes in the remaining two games. While all of these stats were an improvement for Brown in the last three years, the numbers scream the need for a true WR1 in Baltimore, as well as an actual offensive passing attack.

Brown is set to be a free agent in 2019. Both he and the Ravens have expressed interest in re-signing for the imminent future, but the pen still has to be put to paper. The Ravens will get help on the receiving end, and as Jackson develops as a passer, things should open up again for Brown should he remain in Baltimore.

He currently holds an ADP of 136.17, a decrease from his 87.75 ADP from November 2018.

Michael Crabtree

In his tenth NFL season, Crabtree produced his lowest numbers since his rookie year, posting a stat line of 54 receptions, 607 yards and three touchdowns. He had scored at least eight touchdowns in his last three seasons alone.

At 32 years old, the writing is on the wall for Crabtree who most likely will not be re-signed. The Ravens will most likely look to add more depth through the draft, or sign a younger veteran receiver.

Since starting his 2018 with the Ravens, his ADP has plummeted. In September 2018, his ranking was 99.5, and now, he sits at 219.67.

I don’t expect the Ravens to keep him for the upcoming 2019 season, but I wouldn’t give up on him in dynasty quite yet.

Willie Snead

Believe it or not, Snead may have been the greatest beneficiary of Jackson’s entrance. The five year pro out of Ball State had four games of 50+ receiving yards after Jackson came in with three of those games seeing him haul in at least five receptions. While those stats are not staggering, it shows the connection that Snead had with Jackson, which was arguably better than any other receiver on the depth chart.

He finished the season with 62 receptions, 651 receiving yards and one touchdown – a bounce-back season that is worth building upon heading into 2019.

His ADP is lower than 220 right now, and he could be a sneaky buy-low target in his 2019 contract year.

Chris Moore

A special-teams specialist poised for a breakout season in 2018, Moore was again caught up in a subpar offensive system and could not adapt within the Ravens scheme. He has one year left on his contract and could benefit this off-season as the organization will look to shake things up internally and build around Jackson. Stash him on your deep rosters and see how things play out in the fall.

Jordan Lasley

A fifth-round pick out of UCLA, Lasley fought a few injuries and found himself inactive for the entire season. He will be in a position this off-season to create a spot for himself within the offense, but will likely have to battle in the fall for a roster spot.

Jaleel Scott

Scott missed his 2018 rookie season due to injuries but was a favorite among dynasty owners when selected in the fourth round out of New Mexico State. His 237.17 ADP suggests there is still hope and expectations for him to perform in the 2019 season. Keep him rostered, as he should be a high-performing receiver come fall training camp.

Tight End

Mark Andrews

There was much speculation around Andrews when the Ravens selected Hayden Hurst in the first round of the 2018 draft. Andrews was arguably the best tight end in the 2018 class but fell to the third round. Due to the unfortunate injury to Hurst, Andrews seized his opportunities and never looked back.

In 2018, he caught 34 passes for 552 yards, scored three touchdowns and averaged an amazing 16.2 yards per reception.

He began the season in September with an ADP of 231.33 and has since leaped to 139.50.

It was clear that Andrews would be the primary pass-catching tight end, and his usage within the Jackson offense was terrific. He saw 18 targets for 308 yards in Jackson’s seven games at quarterback.

Hayden Hurst

Hurst was a bit of a letdown in the 2018 season, but the expectations on a first-round draft pick are always a bit high. Hurst found himself beginning the season on the sideline with injuries and didn’t see the playing field until week five.

Hurst averaged around 20 snaps per game, but was primarily utilized in the run blocking schemes. He did manage to haul in 13 receptions for 165 yards and touchdown, but it will be interesting to see how Hurst and Andrews share reps and targets in 2019.

Given the run-heavy formations, Hurst and Andrews should be able to see the field an equal amount of times in 2019, but don’t expect Hurst to be given the green light on route running.

He currently holds an ADP 186.17, as dynasty owners will still want to get some value out of the former first rounder, but I don’t foresee him climbing much higher than he already is.

Maxx Williams

It would be a surprise from the Ravens organization to re-sign Williams for the 2019 season. The four-year pro has paid his dues and helped the run blocking schemes, but shows little-to-no value in the fantasy scheme. He can be left on waivers and shouldn’t pose as a receiving threat on any teams.

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