Who is the most important player for the Ravens going forward this season?

Badie: A player we’ve seen very little of this season because of injury: Jimmy Smith. We saw how the Ravens secondary seemed to fall apart after he was injured in the opener — a common theme over the past few seasons. With the acquisition of Marcus Peters, the Ravens secondary seemed to regain some of its mojo. If Smith can come back for the second half of the season, and remain healthy, the defense could go from bad to good to great.

Doon: Lamar Jackson goes without saying. But how about Marshal Yanda? When Jackson wanted to go for it on fourth-and-2 in Seattle, who did he point to for reassurance? His seven-time Pro Bowl right guard. The Ravens want to punish teams with their running game, and they’ve been able to do that in large part because of Jackson’s unique ability, but also because of a strong offensive line. Ronnie Stanley has become one of the best left tackles in the NFL, Orlando Brown Jr. has steadily improved at right tackle, and Matt Skura and Bradley Bozeman have held up in the interior. Yanda might be 35 and on the decline, but he’s still among the best at his position in the league. His health is crucial to keeping the offense on pace to set the all-time NFL rushing record.

Oyefusi: Quarterback Lamar Jackson. The second-year pro has jumped into MVP discussions in recent weeks, leading the Ravens with his arm and legs. If he can sustain this level of play through the second half of the season, the Ravens will continue to be thought of as AFC contenders.

Preston: Lamar Jackson, who else? He is the offense, and everything goes through him.

Schmuck: Here’s what Howard Cosell used to call “a piercing look into the obvious.” Lamar Jackson has been and will continue to be the most valuable and important Raven.

Shaffer: Thanks to Lamar Jackson, the Ravens have the NFL’s best ground game and a solid enough aerial attack. But the passing offense in recent weeks has been largely limited to short- and mediumrange throws. It desperately needs Marquise “Hollywood” Brown back. The rookie wide receiver is fast and talented enough to help clear underneath passing lanes for targets such as tight end Mark Andrews and keep run-stopping safeties out of the box.

Walker: The obvious answer is Lamar Jackson, but that’s boring, so let’s go with Marquise Brown. The rookie wide receiver has demonstrated that, when healthy, he’s the player best qualified to open up a downfield dimension in the Ravens offense. Brown is expected back for Week 9, but can he avoid the health woes that have interrupted his career to date?