Baltimore is a wonderful city, a true pinnacle of the nation. The Wire displayed how young entrepreneurs are able to thrive. Inner Harbor provides some picturesque scenery to take in. The Orioles are one of the most respected and revered organizations in baseball. Whoever joins the Ravens in the 2020 NFL Draft will be thrilled to have such a vibrant place to call home.
Last year, Lamar Jackson made the jump to superstardom and the team cruised through a weak AFC North. Despite that, Jackson and the Ravens remain 0-2 in the playoffs in the last two years. Baltimore looks to use three early picks tonight in the 2020 NFL Draft to get over the hump, and Belly Up Fantasy Sports has your analysis covered.
Traded/Released by the organization:
G Marshal Yanda (retired)
S Tony Jefferson
TE Hayden Hurst
WR Seth Roberts
LB Patrick Onwuasor
LB Josh Bynes
T James Hurst
CB Brandon Carr
LB Pernell McPhee
DT Domata Peko
Acquired/Signed by the organization:
DT Calais Campbell
DE Derek Wolfe
LB Jake Ryan
Draft Needs:
The Ravens could use some more weapons, but will likely be trying to invest in the future of the offensive line and defense in the 2020 NFL Draft, too. Yanda leaves big shoes to fill after a Hall of Fame career on the interior. Still, the Marks (RB Mark Ingram, TE Mark Andrews, and WR Marquise Brown) could use some help moving the football.
While the secondary remains stout, the front seven is razor-thin. The addition of Campbell and Wolfe helps, but the Ravens need rotational players along with them. The biggest need for the Ravens defense continues to be an accomplice to a murder. They just haven’t had the same edge since the last one left.
Fantasy Implications:
The moves the Ravens have made so far this offseason won’t translate to the world of fantasy much. The full effects of Yanda retiring have yet to be seen, but for the most part the rest has been on defense. The departure of Hurst clears things up a bit in the TE room, but the writing has been on the wall there for a while. The biggest question will be whether Jackson continues to dazzle or returns to the mean.
Quarterback:
Jackson will always be a great option in fantasy because of his running ability. He will also always be an injury scare because of his running ability. You don’t like to hamstring yourself by predicting injuries, but his unique style of play could also mean a career that trends similar to his backup, Robert Griffin, III. Short but sweet. The key will be guessing just how short.
Running Back:
Ingram had one of his three best seasons of his career in his first year in Baltimore. At 30, though, you wonder how much longer he can keep bruising up the middle. Gus Edwards and Justice Hill have been serviceable spelling Ingram, but I don’t know that either can be a feature back if he gets injured.
Wide Receiver:
Marquise Brown flashed as a rookie at times. Behind him, though, are journeyman Willie Snead, IV, and fellow second-year player Miles Boykin. Neither factored much into the Ravens offense last year. They will likely get their WR2 in the draft tonight. The guy you want is Andrews, especially with Hurst out of the picture.
Conclusion:
Two Ravens Super Bowl victories were enough to endure. Whatever pass catcher or running back the Ravens select tonight will be an intriguing fantasy option. I must admit, though, I really hope the wheels fall off this offense this year. Hopefully more teams can do what the Browns did in Week 4 last year with Yanda retired and just batter them into submission. A guy can dream.