This time of year there is only one thing on a sports fan's mind: Fantasy Football. So, with that, your friendly neighboorhood eDraft team is here to help. We will go team-by-team and break down all 32 teams, with in-depth analysis of top players, hidden gems, and projected busts. To check out the other breakdowns, as they become available, click here. Today, we break down the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens came into last season as defending Super Bowl champs, but they were not nearly the same team. For the first time in the franchise’s history, Ray Lewis was not a member of the team. The Ravens as a whole lost more members of the team due to free agency/retirement of any defending champion, and it showed. They only had eight wins, and missed the playoffs for the first time since 2007. So what players are going to help them get back to the playoffs, and you into your fantasy postseason?
Joe Flacco, Quarterback
Flacco was a top-20 fantasy quarterback last year, despite the Ravens lackluster season. However, according to eDraft’s consistency metric, Flacco was ranked 24th with only a 33% consistency. While he had games where he threw one touchdown, 12 times, he doesn’t have the flash needed for a fantasy quarterback. He ranked dead last among qualifying players at his position in vertical yards per pass attempt.
New offensive coordinator Gary Kubiak is elated with Flacco thus far in the year, saying "I had no idea how good an athlete he is. He's a very good athlete." Everyone know how good Flacco’s throwing arm is, that was his key attribute coming out of Delaware. But apparently, even Kubiak didn’t know how good it was, "I knew [his arm] was good, but I had no idea just how good it was.”
The key with Flacco this season is big plays. Whether or not the new additions to the offense will help or not remains to be seen. As of right now, it would be wise to go in other directions at the quarterback position. If you are looking to wait until the later rounds and get someone in Flacco’s tier, get someone with more upside and big-play potential, like Josh McCown who is only getting drafter five selections sooner, per eDraft’s mock draft ADP statistic.
Average Draft Position (ADP): 174
Ray Rice, Running Back
First thing is first with Rice. Tread cautiously when drafting Rice, as he is subject to a suspension from the league. Back in February, Rice went all Chris Brown on his wife and knocked her unconscious. It’s reported to be a multi-game suspension, somewhere between two to four games based on recent suspensions of similar nature. A player like Stevan Ridley may be a better option with a similar ADP, because he should play a full 16 game slate.
When Rice is on the field however, he is a solid running back. Based on his career stats, last season is not what to expect from Rice while healthy. The past four seasons, he never rushed for less than 1,134 yards, and averaged eight touchdowns a season. He is also pretty lethal in the passing game as well, getting somewhere between 60-70 catches and 500-700 yards. If you wanted to wait till the later rounds, say seven and up, to get Rice all the power to you. Just don’t take him to soon.
Average Draft Position (ADP) : 64
Torrey Smith, Wide Receiver
Smith is the perfect fantasy wide receiver, because of the fact that he may be the best deep threat in the league. His problem last year was the lack of weapons on the Ravens offense. No one was a threat other than Smith, so he seen many double teams. Regardless, he still ranked third in the league in yards per catch among wideouts with 50-pus catches.
In Smith’s first two seasons, he had seven and eight touchdowns in respective seasons. However, in his third year he seen a major drop-off with his endzone scores cut in half. As mentioned earlier, Smith is such a great risk-reward fantasy player because of his deep-threat ability. Of Smiths 130 targets last season, 26% were more than twenty yards down the field. He’s a mid-to-low end WR1.
Average Draft Position (ADP): 67
Steve Smith, Wide Reciever
Steve Smith has a new animal on his chest. He has traded in his powder-blue mountain cat uni, for a purple bird. Even with the new team, Smith is going to be 35 years old this season, what can you expect from him? The answer based on last year: Nothing. The Panthers had a terrific season, and so did Cam Newton. Of Newtons 22 touchdown passes, only four went to Smith. To even ask for Smith’s mediocre season last year, again this year, is almost impossible. Only 11 players in NFL history at age 35 had at least 750 yards receiving and five touchdowns. The last to do so was Derrick Mason.
Average Draft Position (ADP) : 159
Dennis Pitta, Tight End
Pitta had a break-out season two years ago, totaling almost 700 yards and seven touchdowns. Coming into this season healthy, the Ravens have big things planned for Pitta. According to the Baltimore Sun, the Ravens plan to use Pitta in a variety of ways this season in multiple sets. He has been split out as a wide out, lined up in the backfield, as well as in the tight end spot. Pitta has said that he is re-inventing himself, and is poised for a bigger breakout season. Being that in his 2012 season, he was a top-ten tight end, a bigger season could be even scarier. And, because of the injury last year, he could be a great sleeper tight end.
Average Draft Position (ADP): 74
Biggest Fantasy Surprise: Marlon Brown
When it comes to the dog days of the season, and Steve Smith needs his walked, Marlon Brown will be there to pad his own stats. In Brown’s rookie year, we was pretty good finishing with 524 yards and seven touchdowns. What coach Jim Harbaugh said really backs up the fact that Brown could have another good year, “"He's competing for a starting spot," Harbaugh said. "It's not a two-receiver league anymore. It’s not like you’ve got your two starters and then your No. 3 guy is a slot receiver. That’s the way that people kind of want to label it.” Brown could be in for a great year.
Biggest Fantasy Disappointment: Bernard Pierce
Pierce was supposed to have a breakout season last year with Rice out with the hip injury. It simply did not happen. He had 2.9 yards per carry, which is just completely unacceptable. During Rice’s suspension this year, the Ravens could be destined for a running back by committee. If you are looking for a back-up running back like Pierce for your bench, a better option with similar ADP would be Chris Ivory.
How Their Schedule Impacts Fantasy Value
According to strength of schedule, a metric used to determine schedule difficulty based on opponents 2013 win percentage, the Ravens have the 28th easiest schedule in the league this season. Their opponents 2013 winning percentage was only .461. The tough games on their schedule such as Carolina, Atlanta and San Diego are all at home. Not to mention that they are in a division that they clearly dominate, going 13-5 the last three years. So, the Ravens schedule boosts any value to players you are looking to draft from the Baltimore Ravens.