Ravens fly to rescue
WITH Week 9 upon us, fantasy football managers are finding themselves in must-win matchups in which one loss could conceivably push them out of the playoff picture.
To add to the pressure, this week also happens to be the first of two “byemageddons” when six teams are off and there are abundant roster holes to fill. It can be tough to find quality players to fill up your roster, but some lateweek injury news offers a beacon of hope, especially for those in need of wide receiver or tight end help.
When the Ravens received word receiver Rashod Bateman would miss the rest of the season following Lisfranc surgery after the trade deadline passed, the team knew replacement had to come from within. The Ravens have never been a heavy passing team, but with Bateman gone and tight end Mark Andrews still battling a knee injury, fantasy managers now have some intriguing options who may still be available.
We can start with receiver Devin Duvernay. A longtime favorite of the fantasy community, Duvernay now steps in as the team’s No. 1 wideout. Having spent most of his time working as the team’s return man and Z receiver, Duvernay has never had a featured role. He is still expected to return kicks, but will now see an uptick in snaps and targets. Lamar Jackson throws an average of just 30 times per game, but Duvernay’s increased target share will improve his chances to score points.
You can also look to DeMarcus Robinson, now the team’s starting X receiver. He has played 60-70 percent of the snaps with Bateman out and saw a season-high eight targets last week.
Slot receiver James Proche and his recent uptick in snaps may also be an option. And for the truly desperate, we hear DeSean Jackson could be promoted from the practice squad. But the real hero could be tight end Isaiah Likely. With the frequency of two-TE sets the Ravens run, both his snap and target shares could spike this week.
The waiver options at this time of year are rarely pretty. You aren’t going to find a 100-yard, multi-touchdown player unless you’re willing to trade away your whole roster. Winning now is about finding help in some unusual places, and there is nothing more unusual than depth receivers and backup tight ends on a run-first team.
Howard Bender is the VP of operations and head of content at Fantasy-Alarm. com. Follow him on Twitter @rotobuzzguy and catch him on the award-winning “Fantasy Alarm Radio Show” on the SiriusXM fantasy sports channel weekdays from 6-8 p.m. Go to FantasyAlarm.com for all your fantasy football advice.