A new contract, a new set of receivers and a new playcaller has renewed optimism in Jackson finishing as a top-five quarterback again. However, comments from him in May about "less running and more throwing" dampens his upside. At least 30.4% (and as much as 35%) of Jackson's Fantasy production in six-point-per-passing-TD leagues have come from his legs, not his arm. If Jackson purposely runs less, his PPG won't be as amazing unless he throws a ton of touchdowns. Given the past two seasons when we've already seen declining rushing touchdown production, below-average completion and touchdown rates in the red zone and 10 games missed, Jackson carries more risk than we're used to seeing. If you can snare him as the sixth or seventh QB off the board, you're doing OK. Just remember: He hasn't averaged over 25 Fantasy points per game since 2019.
Jackson completed 18 of 32 passes for 177 yards, one touchdown and no interceptions in Sunday's 20-10 win over the Chargers. He added 11 rushes for 39 yards.
Jackson helped the Ravens to an early lead with a three-yard touchdown pass to Zay Flowers, but the offense largely stalled from there. Positively, Jackson avoided turnovers for the second consecutive game, and he continued to get plenty of opportunities as a rusher. He's done exactly what has been asked of him for much of the season, but Jackson has now failed to tally multiple touchdowns in eight of his 12 games to this point.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Dismisses concerns about ankle
Rotowire
Jackson said Tuesday that he doesn't anticipate his left ankle causing any complications for him during Sunday's game against the Chargers, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.
Jackson took every snap on offense in the Ravens' 34-20 win over the Bengals this past Thursday, despite going down in apparent pain and grabbing his left ankle late in the first quarter when he was tackled by linebacker Logan Wilson along the sideline. The signal-caller appeared to be limping at multiple points throughout the rest of the contest, but he ended up finishing with one of his better fantasy lines of the season (16 completions for 264 yards and two touchdowns, nine carries for 54 yards). Though Jackson may not have been 100 percent against the Bengals, the longer turnaround for the Ravens' Week 12 game looks as though it has provided sufficient time for him to shake off the ankle issue.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Plays through ankle issue
Rotowire
Jackson, who visited the medical tent with an ankle injury late in the first quarter of Thursday night's 34-20 win over the Bengals, noted afterward that he'll "be good" for his team's Nov. 26 contest against the Chargers, Clifton Brown of the Ravens' official site reports.
Despite getting his ankle checked out, Jackson was on the field for all 66 of the Ravens' snaps on offense, and with the extra time off he'll have ahead of Week 12 action, the QB's availability versus the Chargers shouldn't be impacted. The same can't be said for star tight end Mark Andrews, who sustained what is looking like a season-ending ankle issue Thursday. In that context, Baltimore's reserve TEs (Isaiah Likely and Charlie Kolar) as well as the team's WR corps will be called upon to help fill the pass-catching void created by Andrews' looming absence.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Hits on big plays in win
Rotowire
Jackson completed 16 of 26 passes for 264 yards with two touchdowns and no interceptions and rushed nine times for 54 yards in the Ravens' 34-20 win over the Bengals on Thursday night.
Jackson was highly efficient with his modest number of completions, posting his second-highest passing yardage total on his second-highest yards per attempt (10.2) of the campaign. Jackson tossed multiple touchdown passes for the fourth time this season as well, hitting Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman on second-quarter scoring tosses of 37 and 10 yards, respectively. Jackson also connected with Odell Beckham for a 51-yard completion midway through the fourth quarter on what would turn out to be Baltimore's final scoring drive of the night, but the star signal-caller appears to have to lost Mark Andrews, who exited the game in the first quarter with an ankle injury, for the season as per Jamison Hensey of ESPN.com. That development could naturally impact the success of the air attack and Jackson's fantasy outlook significantly beginning with a Week 12 road clash against the Chargers on Sunday, Nov. 26.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Day doomed by key pick
Rotowire
Jackson completed 13 of 23 passes for 223 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions in Sunday's 33-31 loss to the Browns. He added eight rushes for 41 yards.
The Ravens played with a lead throughout the game, allowing them to rely heavily on their rushing attack. As a result, volume was once again limited for Jackson; however, unlike in past games, he also mixed in some key mistakes. The most glaring was an interception midway through the fourth quarter when he threw a pick that was deflected at the line of scrimmage and returned for a touchdown. Jackson now has failed to tally multiple touchdowns in five of his last six games.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Modest output in blowout victory
Rotowire
Jackson completed 21 of 26 passes for 187 yards, no touchdowns and no interceptions in Sunday's 37-3 win over Seattle. He added 10 rushes for 60 yards.
The Ravens were able to coast throughout much of the game after building up a 17-3 lead by halftime. As a result, Jackson had limited pass attempts and a similarly underwhelming fantasy fantasy performance. The positive was his production as a rusher, which marked the third time he's topped 60 rushing yards on the season. Jackson also suffered an injury scare in the fourth quarter when he appeared to tweak his ankle, but coach John Harbaugh indicated after the game that the issue wasn't serious, per Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Four touchdowns against Detroit
Rotowire
Jackson completed 21 of 27 passes for 357 yards and three touchdowns in Sunday's 38-6 win over Detroit. He added nine rushes for 36 yards and an additional score.
Jackson had no trouble leading the Baltimore offense against what had been considered one of the better defenses in the league entering the game. He capped the team's first offensive possession with a seven-yard rushing touchdown, then threw for scores of 12 and 11 yards before halftime. Jackson wasn't reliant solely on touchdowns for his big performance, as he also tallied his first 300-yard passing effort since Week 5 of the 2021 campaign. He should have a chance for another big game in Week 8 in a matchup against Arizona.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Two TDs apiece rushing and passing
Rotowire
Jackson completed 15 of 19 passes for 186 yards and two touchdowns while rushing nine times for 27 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 28-3 win over the Browns. He also committed two fumbles, losing one.
Jackson scored a 10-yard rushing touchdown in the first quarter and added a two-yard touchdown run in the second quarter, as well as a seven-yard touchdown pass to Mark Andrews with 11 seconds remaining before halftime. An 18-yard touchdown pass to Andrews rounded out the scoring in the fourth quarter. Jackson has a 4:1 TD:INT and four rushing touchdowns heading into a Week 5 trip to Pittsburgh, but ball security has been a problem for the dual-threat quarterback, who has put the ball on the ground a league-high six times and lost three of those fumbles.
Benching Jackson isn't something Fantasy managers really ever think about, but the road matchup figures to be challenging. He might be passing just a bit too cautiously to expect him to get big numbers through the air, too. Very few backup Fantasy quarterbacks could be used ahead of Jackson this week but I like Jordan Love and Russell Wilson as two options ahead of Jackson. However I'd still start Jackson over Geno Smith, Dak Prescott and Justin Fields, among others.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Big game as rusher
Rotowire
Jackson completed 22 of 31 pass attempts for 202 yards and no touchdowns in Sunday's 22-19 overtime loss to the Colts. He added 14 rushes for 101 yards and two touchdowns.
Jackson completed his pass attempts at a high rate, though he wasn't aggressive in pushing the ball down the field. Instead, his explosive plays came on the ground as he accounted for both of the Ravens' touchdowns with his legs, scampering into the end zone from eight and 10 yards away. It was expected that Baltimore's passing attack would be improved under new offensive coordinator Todd Monken, and while that has yet to occur, Jackson still has multiple touchdowns in two of his first three games this season.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Not on injury report
Rotowire
Jackson (hand) isn't listed on the Wednesday's injury report ahead of Sunday's home game against Indianapolis.
Jackson suffered a stinger in his left hand toward the end of a 27-24 win over the Bengals this past Sunday, but he didn't express any concern about the injury when discussing it with reporters after the game. His absence from the Week 3 injury report entirely should erase any concern fantasy managers might have had about his health.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Throws two TDs to beat Bengals
Rotowire
Jackson completed 24 of 33 passes for 237 yards and two touchdowns in Sunday's 27-24 win over the Bengals. He added 12 rushing attempts for 54 yards.
Jackson suffered a stinger in his left hand late in the game, per Jamison Hensley of ESPN, but he told reporters after the game that he's fine and flexed his hands as evidence. The dual-threat quarterback was happy to have favorite target Mark Andrews (quadriceps) back, as Andrews led the Ravens with eight targets, including a three-yard touchdown in the third quarter. Jackson's other touchdown pass was a 17-yarder to Nelson Agholor to take a 27-17 lead in the fourth. Assuming Jackson's non-throwing hand is indeed fine, he'll remain among the top fantasy quarterback options in Week 3 against the Colts.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Quiet day in Week 1 win
Rotowire
Jackson completed 17 of 22 passes for 169 yards with no touchdowns and one interception and rushed six times for 38 yards in the Ravens' 25-9 win over the Texans on Sunday. He also committed two fumbles, losing one.
Jackson was certainly efficient, but the offseason talk of the Ravens being more pass-oriented never really came to fruition with Baltimore mostly in control from the middle of the third quarter onward. When he did put the ball up, Jackson displayed impressive chemistry with rookie Zay Flowers, who he connected with on a team-high nine occasions. Jackson also hit Odell Beckham and Rashod Bateman for another five completions, but his target pool was significantly narrow otherwise. With No. 1 running back J.K. Dobbins feared to have torn his Achilles in Sunday's game, it remains to be seen if Jackson will take to the ground more often beginning with a Week 2 road matchup against the Bengals, despite repeated declarations from the coaching staff the highly mobile signal-caller would run less this season.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Not in line to play Monday
Rotowire
With coach John Harbaugh noting Saturday that Josh Johnsonand Anthony Brown are each in line to play a half in Monday's preseason game against the Commanders, Jackson once again isn't slated to see action, Jamison Hensley of ESPN.com reports.
Jackson also didn't play in the Ravens' preseason opener, and this time around Harbaugh relays that Johnson will get the start Monday and play the first half, with Brown expected to take over for the second half. Jackson's final opportunity to see exhibition snaps will come Saturday, Aug. 26 against the Buccaneers.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Not slated to play Saturday
Rotowire
Jackson is not in line to play in Saturday's preseason opener against the Eagles, with coach John Harbaugh noting Thursday that none of the Ravens' established starters will play in the contest.
Though the team's key veteran starters, including Jackson, will sit this one out, Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com relays via Harbaugh that some of the Ravens' key young players such as Zay Flowers could potentially suit up Saturday. Jackson's next chance to log preseason game action will occur Monday, Aug. 21 against the Commanders.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Still in team's plans, per DeCosta
Rotowire
Ravens GM Eric DeCosta reiterated Thursday that he wants to sign Jackson to a long-term deal and believes the quarterback is "the right player for this team," ESPN's Jamison Hensley reports.
It's no secret the Ravens hope to keep Jackson; they just haven't been willing to give him the contract he wants. He's also been unable to find it from another team, perhaps in part because the non-exclusive franchise tag would require the loss of two first-round picks if the Ravens were to not match an offer sheet. The team has until July 17 to work out a long-term deal with Jackson, who has yet to sign the franchise tender and thus won't be at the start of the offseason program to learn new OC Todd Monken's playbook. DeCosta's comments Thursday came at the introductory press conference for Odell Beckham, who didn't receive any assurances Jackson will be with the team but expects it will play out that way. "The goal is to come here and have that possibility with [Jackson]," Beckham said Thursday.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Has requested trade
Rotowire
Jackson announced Monday via his personal Twitter account that he requested a trade from the Ravens on March 2.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said, "We love [Jackson]," in his press conference Monday at the NFL's annual meeting, when asked for a response to Jackson's trade announcement. However, after a lengthy contract dispute, the star quarterback has made it known that he prefers to move on from Baltimore. The Ravens placed the $32.4 million non-exclusive franchise tag on Jackson earlier this offseason, but he has yet to sign the tender. Other teams can negotiate a contract with Jackson due to the non-exclusive tag, which Baltimore could match or alternatively gain two first-round draft picks as compensation, but Jackson's now-public announcement of a trade request could motivate teams around the league to more heavily pursue direct dialogue with the Ravens instead. Additionally, Harbaugh said Monday that Jackson has now fully healed from the sprained PCL in his left knee that caused him to miss Baltimore's final six contests of the 2022 campaign, per Jonas Shaffer of TheBaltimoreBanner.com.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Gets franchise tag
Rotowire
The Ravens assigned their franchise tag to Jackson (knee) on Tuesday.
In a statement released by the team, general manager Eric DeCosta noted that the Ravens plan to continue to negotiate with Jackson in hopes of reaching a long-term deal with the quarterback this offseason. Per Adam Schefter of ESPN, the $32.4 million franchise tag is non-exclusive, which means that the signal-caller can negotiate with other teams. The Ravens, however, retain the right to match any offer sheet Jackson signs, or alternatively accept two first-round draft picks as compensation.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Team optimistic about new deal
Rotowire
Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said Wednesday that he remains optimistic the team will reach a long-term extension with Jackson (knee), Clifton Brown of the team's official site reports.
DeCosta and head coach John Harbaugh made statements in support of retaining Jackson in press conferences on Wednesday, and both offered similar comments in January about the quarterback after the Ravens were eliminated from the playoffs. At this stage of the offseason, the two sides seem far apart in contract talks, but the Ravens have made it clear they'll use the franchise tag on Jackson if it comes to that.
... See More... See Less
Ravens' Lamar Jackson: Has support of Harbaugh, DeCosta
Rotowire
Ravens coach John Harbaugh and GM Eric DeCosta both said Thursday that they expect Jackson (knee) to remain with the team, Hayes Gardner of The Baltimore Sun reports.
Rumors have been swirling about Jackson's potential departure from Baltimore, with the 26-year-old scheduled for unrestricted free agency this offseason after a PCL sprain kept him out for the final month of the 2022 regular season and a playoff loss in Cincinnati. Harbaugh said he "200 percent" wants Jackson in Baltimore for years to come, while DeCosta was a bit measured but still said the focus remains on signing Jackson to an extension (rather than trading him). If Jackson does return to Baltimore in 2023, it'll be his first time in an NFL offense that isn't either directed or heavily influenced by Greg Roman, who announced Thursday that he's parting ways with the Ravens after four years as their offensive coordinator. Neither Harbaugh nor DeCosta said anything about a timeline for Jackson's recovery from the knee injury or if surgery might be needed.
