Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 10th @ 1:00 PM ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Betting Odds: BAL -7, 40.5 total via Oddshark.com
Expected Weather: 62 F; Rain, Wind
Network: FOX
Writer: Dustin Ludke (@theDunit13)
Los Angeles Rams
Quarterback
Matthew Stafford (Start, QB2)
Is that Cher I hear in the background? Matthew Stafford has turned back time with his performances of late. He posted back-to-back 20+ point games and threw only one interception over that span. He might struggle this week against the Baltimore Ravens who are giving up the second fewest points to quarterbacks. I still think Stafford is worth starting. Despite a tough matchup, the Super Bowl LVI Champion has great weapons to throw to. The Ravens can also put up points, which positions Stafford well for a shootout. Start him as a solid QB2, but keep an eye on the weather: if the wind kicks up, it might be wise to fade a passing attack that looks promising on paper.
Running Back
Kyren Williams (Start, RB2), Royce Freeman (Sit)
Kyren Williams is fully back. He was slowly worked in after his injury, but this past week against a tough Cleveland Browns defense, he had all but one of the team’s carries. This probably signals the end of Royce Freeman’s fantasy relevancy unless an injury pops up. Williams now faces another top rush defense in the Ravens, who are giving up the 11th fewest points to running backs; by comparison, the Browns are giving up the 12th fewest total. Based on volume alone, Williams is a clear start. The matchup isn’t enough to scare me off. He has seen five or more targets in four of his last seven games, so he’s able to produce, no matter what the game script holds. Williams is a solid RB2 with upside for more.
Wide Receivers/Tight Ends
Cooper Kupp (Start, WR2), Puka Nacua (Start, WR3), Tyler Higbee (Sit), Tutu Atwell (Sit)
It’s been a rough year for the once-dominant Cooper Kupp. He dealt with injuries to start the year, which have lingered and caused him to be less effective. Fantasy managers are left scratching their heads over what to do with the former weekly lineup lock. There is some good news: Kupp’s snap share has risen in the past two weeks, and he’s getting back to a healthy target volume with eight this past week. He only had 39 yards but saved his fantasy day with a touchdown. The bad news: he faces the Ravens this week who are giving up the 2nd fewest points to wide receivers. On top of that, Kupp will see coverage from Kyle Hamilton who’ll play the role of slot corner. He is rated as the 6th best corner in coverage by PFF.com. It’s a tough matchup but given the potential for a shoot-out game script and his familiarity with Stafford, I think Kupp should be able to get open and draw his fair share of targets. He should be a solid WR2 this week.
Puka Nacua has eaten into Kupp’s opportunities while setting rookie receiving records in seemingly every game. He did get banged up last week but is expected to play in Week 14. Considering he isn’t 100% healthy and that he will see Brandon Stephens in coverage I’m worried about his fantasy production. Stephens is rated as the 31st-best corner by PFF.com. I think the Ravens will also send help that way in the form of safety Geno Stone, who rates as the 2nd best cover safety. You can still start Nacua as a solid WR3, however; he can reach that range in one play.
The rest of the Rams receivers have been hit or miss, and it’s nearly impossible to tell who will step up each week. Tutu Atwell is the most likely, but he’s too inconsistent to be trusted. Tight end Tyler Higbee is dealing with a concussion so his status is up in the air. Even if he does play, he has only five start-worthy weeks in the year and faces a team that’s giving up the 8th fewest points to tight ends. Sit him or his replacement.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterbacks
Lamar Jackson (Start, QB1)
We thought the loss of Mark Andrews would impact Lamar Jackson‘s game and while his Week 12 stats weren’t as lofty as we have come to expect, he still had a good fantasy day. The bye week came at the perfect time: Lamar and the coaches got an extra week to implement an Andrews-less game plan and prepare for the Los Angeles Rams. Since the Rams are giving up the 13th most points to quarterbacks, I expect Lamar to get back to his solid QB1 ways, especially given what he offers on the ground from a rushing perspective.
Running Backs
Gus Edwards (Start, Flex), Keaton Mitchell (Start, Flex), Justice Hill (Sit)
The Ravens run game has been a weird mix this year. Gus Edwards seemed like the only piece worth rostering and starting, but rookie Keaton Mitchell has recently stepped up. The Ravens are coming off a bye week so anything is possible with two weeks to plan. They will need it as they are facing the Rams who are giving up the 8th fewest points to running backs. It’s hard to deny the speed and pop of Mitchell as a rusher. He has never seen double-digit carries but is averaging an astonishing 9.28 yards per carry. Edwards is averaging 4.18 which is still solid. In this era of timeshare backfields, both are startable. Mitchell is the boom-bust option; his explosiveness makes him a solid flex play. If he starts seeing more work he could become a solid RB2 down the stretch. Gus Bus is a touchdown-dependent player whose size makes him perfect for goal line and short-yardage work; as such, he’s also a solid Flex play.
Wide Receivers/ Tight Ends
Zay Flowers (Start, WR3), Odell Beckham Jr. (Start, Flex), Mark Andrews (OUT), Rashod Bateman (Sit), Nelson Agholor (Sit) Isaiah Likely (Start, TE2)
The Ravens’ passing game was starting to click before Mark Andrews came up lame. His injury changed how that offense was run. Zay Flowers has stepped up as the number one receiving option on the team. He is leading the team in every meaningful metric. This could be due to other skill position players missing time, but let’s not knock Flowers’s talent. I worry about him this week, however. He will draw top coverage from the Rams in fhe form of Derion Kendrick, who rates as the 44th best corner. Flowers also plays a more down-the-field style which will bring safeties into play. I still think Flowers should be started as a solid WR3.
After Flowers, it’s been a crap shoot. Rashod Bateman saw his snap share increase but not his opportunities or production. Odell Beckham was dealing with an injury but still matched (if not exceeded) Bateman. Nelson Agholor is relegated to the slot and is not playing over 50% of the snaps. I don’t want to start any of them this week. Coverage is good, but not great. I like what I had seen from Beckham before his injury so if he can come out of the bye 100% and practice this week I might fire him up as a flex play.
People were expecting Isaiah Likely to step in as a fill-in for Mark Andrews. He did end up playing just shy of 75 percent of the snaps the past two games and saw six targets in Week 12; however, he didn’t do much with those opportunities. He caught four passes for 40 yards, good enough to be a solid TE2, which is about where I expect to see him this week. The Rams are giving up the 3rd most points to tight ends so the matchup points to high-end TE2 production. He could see a greater percentage of the Ravens’ target share due to the expected weather conditions, in which case he’d flirt with TE1 numbers.