Week 9 MNF Fantasy Preview

  • Ravens (-140) @ Saints (+2.5): O/U 48

     

    Both teams absorbed a tough blow to their receiving corps this week, with both Rashod Bateman (Lisfranc fracture in foot) and Michael Thomas (dislocated toe) getting season-ending diagnoses for their respective injuries. Bateman is expected to be ready for 2023 training camp, while Thomas has a murkier outlook both with his injury recovery and his future in New Orleans. In terms of who will be the biggest fantasy beneficiaries in light of the unfortunate news, see more in the team sections below.

     

    The under on the projected point total looks more likely with the two wideouts sidelined, especially as Saints CB Marshon Lattimore (abdomen) still has yet to practice since his Week 6 injury and looks like he’ll be absent again. On the Ravens side, two key offensive weapons in TE Mark Andrews (shoulder) and RB Gus Edwards (hamstring) remain banged up and not practicing. In some positive injury recovery news on the Baltimore side, rookie second-rounder DE David Ojabo will hope to make his pro debut in this game after suffering a torn Achilles in his March pro day.

     

    Ravens

    QB

    Last week didn’t start off great for Lamar Jackson, who posted 144 scoreless passing yards in the first half against the Bucs before losing both Andrews and Bateman to injury. But, Jackson bounced back in the second half with two passing TDs to both reach the 20-point plateau and record multiple passing scores for the first time since Week 3. The 43 rushing yards were his fewest since his 17 in the season opener, but that’s nitpicking a bit as fantasy managers are likely just relieved to see him break a top-10 weekly finish again after a four-week drought. The Saints have underachieved defensively and have also allowed the 14th-most rushing yards to opposing quarterbacks, so expect Jackson to continue trending upward.

     

    RB

    Gus Edwards (hamstring) and his questionable status for Monday brings Kenyan Drake back into our fantasy lives once again. A healthy enough Edwards would be a high-end flex play against a Saints defense that has been the seventh-stingiest in fantasy points allowed to opposing running backs. But in his absence, Drake would occupy that spot albeit with a bit more boom/bust to his game outlook. Drake has alternated 7-15-0 average rushing weeks with 8-90-0.5, so it’s been a bit hard to pin down expectations. He did average an impressive 8.8 YPC last week and actually ranks sixth among all backs in breakaway run rate (10.2%), so there’s certainly plenty of big-play potential still left in his legs. Edwards is still the safer fantasy option due to his goal-line role when both are healthy, but Drake is a decent flex start if you’re left in a bind.

     

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