Flowers showed his potential in his final year at Boston College, finishing with 1,077 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Joining an NFL team with legitimate playoff aspirations means a lot is expected of the Florida native. But will he do enough to turn the heads of fantasy football owners?
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Zay Flowers Fantasy Week 1 Predictions
Flowers was the most impressive of all the Baltimore Ravens wide receivers. He has continually improved while in Todd Monken’s offensive system during training camp. He also scored two career-high goals during a preseason game against the Washington Commanders.
In that contest, Zay Flowers showed off his speed and agility on a 26-yard touchdown pass from Josh Johnson. He caught the ball after cutting a five-yard “out” route and raced into the end zone. Ravens fans and the fantasy owners who drafted him hope to see more of them during the 2023 NFL season.
However, his outlook on fantasy football depends on several factors. First, will the Ravens embrace the sudden shift to becoming a pass-first team? The answer to this question depends on whether Lamar Jackson is comfortable being a passer in the pocket.
Second, will Baltimore sacrifice the run game, especially now that JK Dobbins and Gus Edwards are healthy? Edwards had 433 receiving yards in nine games for the Ravens last season.
Meanwhile, Dobbins had 427 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. The 2022 season is a breakout season for them, and they are expected to bounce back in 2023.
Finally, how healthy are Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Pittman in Week 1? The one-time Super Bowl champion missed the 2022 season after another ACL injury. Likewise, Pittman only played in 18 games over his first two seasons.
Opposing defenses will focus more on Beckham Jr. and Pittman due to their deep threat abilities. Zay Flowers would have a hard time getting adequate coverage from the hole without it.
Despite these concerns, fantasy football sites expect him to finish with 690 to 730 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season.
Zay Flowers’ top position on the Week 1 fantasy roster
The Ravens will face the Houston Texans at home in their season opener. Even though they finished with the second-worst record last year, the Texans ranked 10th in passing yards allowed per game last season (209.3).
The Texans have a respectable defensive secondary that includes Derek Stingley Jr., Shaquill Griffin, Stevie Nelson and Jalen Peter. However, Baltimore has personnel who can exploit Houston’s weakness.
Last season, the Texans finished dead last in rushing yards allowed per game (170.2). Conversely, Baltimore ranks second in rushing yards per game (160). Jackson, Dobbins and Edwards have the mobility to punish the Texans from the floor.
However, the Ravens likely won’t deviate from a run-first mentality, especially with tight end Mark Andrews also suffering from an injury. So, at best, Zay Flowers is a flexible option for your Week 1 fantasy football team.
Lawrence Andrew Fernandez