Game Info
Kickoff: Sunday, December 15, 2024, 1:00 ET
Location: MetLife Stadium, East Rutherford, New Jersey
Network: CBS
Writer: Chris Helle (@ChrisHelleQBL on Twitter)
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
As the QB1, Lamar is one of the few set-and-forget QBs. He’s only logged one game out of 13 that was outside a top-12 finish, and that was still a 15-point game against a stingy Steelers defense. This week, his Ravens travel north to play the Giants, who pose very little threat to slowing him down. They have the lowest rate of interceptions per pass attempt against them and are 26th in rate of scrambles allowed – something Lamar should eat up. He’s had at least 30 yards on the ground in all but one game (against the Chargers two weeks ago). The Giants’ pass defense is better than their run defense, but not nearly enough to warrant fading Lamar. He’s a must-start every week he’s healthy.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Justice Hill: FLEX Option, RB4
Derrick Henry is the RB2, and he’s also a must-start every week, but his production has slowed down from his pace to start the year. Through the first 7 weeks, Henry finished as a top-10 RB 5 times and averaged 22.4 points per game. Since Week 8, he’s only finished as a top-10 RB once and is averaging 15.1 points per game. This should be a ‘get right’ game for him, though, as the Giants have the 4th worst EPA/rush defense and have allowed the 3rd most yards per rush. It’s a total mismatch for an offense with the 4th best EPA/rush that has a guy averaging close to 6 yards per carry. This game script can get in the Ravens’ favor quickly, too, so it might not be a surprise to see a good dose of Justice Hill as well. He only saw one less snap than Henry last week against the Eagles and would likely be handed the ball a few more times if the Ravens are off to a big lead.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Rashod Bateman: FLEX Option, WR4
Diontae Johnson: Suspended
The big storyline among these pass catchers was that Rashod Bateman missed last week’s contest against the Eagles, and yet Diontae Johnson elected to sit out. To put it politely, it’s an awkward response to get across your frustrations in not being as involved as much as you would like by skipping out on an opportunity presented to you. In response, the Ravens suspended Johnson for the game against the Giants, and he can be safely dropped in non-Dynasty formats. On the other hand, Bateman’s return to practice points toward him suiting back up this weekend. His target share hasn’t been very consistent when healthy, and he would be an even riskier start given how favorable the matchup is for the Ravens to run the ball. Zay Flowers slots in as a high-end WR2 option this week, as the Giants have given up the 4th highest completion rate and appear to be attacked on short, quick throws – their defense has the 4th lowest average depth of target thrown against them. Expect Zay to see those manufactured touches in the screen game, and Zay’s averaging an elite 6.7 yards after the catch per reception.
Tight End
Mark Andrews: Start, low-end TE1
Isaiah Likely: Sit
The chemistry between Lamar and Mark Andrews has returned to glory, with Andrews scoring 7 touchdowns in the last 8 weeks. He’s been a top-8 TE in three of their last four games and is averaging 5.5 targets in that span. We should expect the red zone targets to continue, with a minor risk associated with how often the Ravens feel the need to throw the ball. The resurgence of Andrews has come at the expense of Isaiah Likely, though, so it’s not recommended to look Likely’s way for a spot start.
New York Giants
Quarterback
Tommy DeVito: Sit
It was announced that Drew Lock is in a walking boot with a heel injury, and Tommy DeVito is now expected to get the start. The banged-up Ravens secondary is generally a favorable matchup, but not for New York’s third-string QB. While DeVito completed 21 of his 31 pass attempts against a similarly weak Buccaneers secondary back in Week 12, those 21 completions only amounted to 189 yards and no touchdowns. The Ravens allow the 8th-lowest rate of scrambles and convert their pressures to sacks at the 12th-highest rate, so DeVito’s mobility may not be much of a factor here either. Look elsewhere if you’re streaming a QB, even in 2-QB formats.
Running Back
Tyrone Tracy: FLEX Option, RB3
Devin Singletary: Sit
This backfield has fully swung in favor of the rookie Tyrone Tracy – he saw 83% of snaps last week with 16 carries plus 10 targets for the WR converted to RB. That type of target share is typically something to hope for out of WRs, so Tracy very well could be seen as a discount version of De’Von Achane. The key word here is “discount” – despite the volume he saw last week, Tracy averaged just 2.8 yards/carry against a Saints team that has allowed the highest yards/rush against them in the NFL. Tracy also only caught half of his targets and is now stuck with DeVito instead of Lock. The Ravens are tied with the Eagles for the 2nd most difficult EPA/rush, and the Ravens have allowed the least yards/carry in the NFL this season at only 3.5 YPC. With all that said, volume is king when it comes to fantasy, and Tracy is expected to continue seeing somewhere in the ballpark of 20 opportunities. He’s a risky start to overcome the matchup and be efficient on those opportunities and may be less likely to find the paydirt with the QB situation. With Tracy seeing the majority of work, Devin Singletary is one to avoid.
Wide Receiver
Malik Nabers: Start, WR2
Wan’Dale Robinson: FLEX Option, WR4
Darius Slayton: Sit
It’s an awkward situation for these WRs, especially Malik Nabers at the forefront. Matchup-wise, the Ravens’ secondary has struggled all season, so Nabers should have no problem getting open. The Ravens’ offense is also likely to get out to a lead, so the game script could push the Giants into throwing the ball more. The obvious hurdle this week is DeVito returning under center. In a similar matchup in Week 12, Nabers caught 6 of his 9 targets for 64 yards and was the WR25 on the week. There aren’t many signs that point toward expecting much different from that week to this one, so trust the talent and opportunities to provide an acceptable output. For Wan’Dale Robinson, he saw 11 targets last week but only brought in 4 of them. He caught all 5 of DeVito’s targets in Week 12, but the inconsistencies in his target share are cause for concern. He could be worth a dart throw, but only if you’re truly desperate to fill your FLEX spot.
Tight End
Daniel Bellinger: Sit
Theo Johnson was placed on IR after undergoing season-ending surgery on his foot, so this is the second week for Daniel Bellinger to be the lead TE. Neither Johnson nor Bellinger showed signs for this offense to feed their TE group, so look elsewhere if you’re streaming a TE this week.