Ravens have 7 Fantasy Players in ESPN’s “Draftable 192”

Booms or Busts?

By Jonas Evans@jonasevans15 Aug 26, 2021, 10:00am EDT

With the 2021 NFL season being only two weeks away, ESPN has released its annual list of “The 192” that should be rostered in each Fantasy Football league. Just like last year, the Ravens finished with seven players on the list.

*All Fantasy Stats are PPR*

No. 36: Running back J.K. Dobbins

Wild Card Round - Baltimore Ravens v Tennessee Titans

Projected: RB No. 19

2020: RB No. 24, OVR No. 95

Dobbins averaged only 7.4 points in games he didn’t lead the team in carries and 16.95 points in games that he did. The starting role is evidently crucial for the running back’s efficiency, and with Mark Ingram gone, he will likely be the leader in carries from Week 1. Dobbins’s value will boil down to how much Greg Roman is willing to invest in a single dominant rusher within this offense. The reality is that both Lamar Jackson and Gus Edwards are going to split carries, pushing Dobbins down to a 4th round value.

No. 59: Tight end Mark Andrews

Projected: TE No. 4

2020: TE No. 6, OVR No. 94

Mark Andrews was the definition of inconsistent last season. He finished with six games of less than 3.5 points and five games of over 10 points. Andrews has the potential to once again put together some high-scoring weeks, especially early in the season, with so many injuries facing this Ravens WR room. Tight end Nick Boyle will still be heavily involved in the offense, but Andrews is still one of Lamar Jackson’s favorite targets, thus making him TE4 this year.

No. 68 Quarterback Lamar Jackson

Projected: QB No. 5

2020: QB No. 10, OVR No. 12

After finishing as the best Fantasy Football player in 2019, Lamar was projected for another huge year in 2020. His performance last year did not deliver, and Jackson eventually found himself as a bottom four starter in a 12-man league. Jackson’s weapons have improved over the offseason, with the additions of Sammy Watkins and Rashod Bateman. However, with so many injuries lingering on this roster, Lamar might have even less to work with at the beginning of the season. Jackson’s ranking among the league’s QBs will likely come down to his passing accuracy.

No. 87 Wide receiver Marquise Brown

Projected: WR No. 44

2020: WR No. 36, OVR No. 82

Spoiler alert, Brown is the only Ravens wide receiver on this list. The Ravens finished dead last in passing yards last year, which doesn’t translate to offensive efficiency, but it is important in Fantasy. With the offense that Greg Roman runs, there are just not too many opportunities for receivers to put up huge numbers for your fantasy team. Brown did score double-digit points nine times last season, so he was a definite starter, but not always reliable to consistently put up good performances. Injuries are also another factor, as Brown has not practiced since July 30th, so there is no guarantee that the receiver will even be available for the Ravens in Week 1.

No. 137 Running back Gus Edwards

Projected: RB No. 46

2020: RB No. 37, OVR No. 168

Even with Mark Ingram gone, the Gus Edwards projections for 2021 have still gone down. With high expectations for J.K. Dobbins and the increase in his carries, Edwards has been presented as the man riding in the backseat of this offense. Edwards averaged 8.0 points in 2020 and only scored six touchdowns. This year, Edwards is primarily a bench piece in leagues with 10+ teams, but if Dobbins goes down with an injury at any point in the season, Gus Edwards has the potential to be a top weekly scorer.

No. 171 Ravens D/ST

Projected: D/ST No. 3

2020: D/ST No. 4, OVR No. 142

No surprise here, as the Ravens are, once again, one of the top choices for Defense/Special Teams in Fantasy this year. This team was dominant in almost every statistic. Last season, Baltimore was No. 1 in Forced Fumbles, No. 1 in Defensive Touchdowns, No. 2 in Passing Yards/Catch Allowed, and No. 8 in Rushing Yards Allowed.

No. 182 Kicker Justin Tucker

Projected: K No. 2

2020: K No. 7, OVR No. 133

Since 2012, Justin Tucker has been outside of the Top 10 Fantasy Kickers only once. Just like last season, Tucker is projected to be the No. 2 kicker in Fantasy, behind only Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker. Tucker’s accuracy is his value, and there’s no one in the history of the NFL who has been a more accurate kicker than him.