Game Info
Kickoff: Saturday, January 4, 2025, 4:30 ET
Location: M&T Bank Stadium, Baltimore, Maryland
Network: ABC/ESPN
Writer: Matt LaMarca (@MattLaMarca on Twitter)
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Dorian Thompson-Robinson: Sit
Bailey Zappe: Sit
Do you know what’s not appealing for fantasy purposes? Starting Dorian Thompson-Robinson at quarterback. He is quite possibly the worst player to see snaps at the position this season. For his career, he’s now racked up 10 interceptions to just one touchdown pass, and he somehow managed just 170 yards on 47 attempts last week.
Do you know what’s even less appealing for fantasy? A quarterback committee. It sounds like Thompson-Robinson and Bailey Zappe could both see some snaps this week, and that’s not surprising, given how much DTR has struggled. Neither of these guys would be appealing if they were guaranteed 100% of the snaps, so there’s no reason to consider either in a part-time capacity.
Running Back
D’Onta Foreman: FLEX Option, RB4
Jerome Ford: FLEX Option, RB4
Pierre Strong: Sit
No one on the Browns is going to be considered a must-start this week. They’re expected to have one of the lowest-scoring outputs of the week, and this is a game that means absolutely nothing to them. If you wanted to just pretend they didn’t exist, you’d be completely fine.
However, one situation worth monitoring is at running back. Jerome Ford has missed two straight practices to start the week, which puts his status vs. the Ravens in jeopardy. If he’s unable to go, D’Onta Foreman will take over as the team’s top early-down back. That’s enough to at least put him in consideration. He could see upwards of 50% of the team’s carries, including most of the goal line work. Ford will also be in the flex conversation if he’s active, though the situation is a lot more appealing with him out of the lineup.
Pierre Strong also factors into the equation, and he served as the team’s primary pass-catching back after Ford departed last week. He drew a healthy 14% target share, which was enough to make him the team’s highest-scoring RB vs. the Dolphins. Still, it was only his third game of the season with more than three fantasy points, so he’s not really in flex consideration.
Wide Receiver
Jerry Jeudy: FLEX Option, WR3
Elijah Moore: Sit
It’s hard to feel confident about any Browns’ pass-catcher with Thompson-Robinson and Zappe at quarterback, but Jerry Jeudy is still in the WR3 conversation. He was easily Thompson-Robinson’s favorite target last week, racking up a massive 43% target share. He ultimately finished with 18 targets, 12 catches, and 94 yards, so he’s proven he can succeed despite poor quarterback play. Of course, there’s no guarantee the Browns will throw the ball nearly 50 times this week, so he’s a bit of a boom-or-bust option.
With Jeudy racking up targets, it doesn’t leave a ton for the rest of the roster. Moore had just a 7% target share last week, and he ran a route on just 63% of the team’s dropbacks. That’s not exactly what you’re looking for from a No. 2 receiver, and I have him well outside the top 70 at the position this week.
Tight End
David Njoku: Sit, TE2
Jordan Akins: Sit
David Njoku is another player who looks highly questionable this week. He missed practice on Wednesday and Thursday, and with the Browns playing for nothing, it’s hard to imagine them rushing him back into the lineup. Even if he does start, the quarterback situation is enough to push him outside the top 15 at the position.
Jordan Akins would start at tight end if Njoku is inactive, and he was respectable in place of Njoku last week. He had a 19% target share and caught six passes for 49 yards, but you can likely do better elsewhere.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
For my money, Lamar Jackson has been the MVP of the league this season. He’s combined tremendous efficiency as a passer with his usual dynamic rushing ability, resulting in some ridiculous numbers. He’s just the eighth QB in league history with more than 35 touchdown passes and six or fewer interceptions, and six of the previous seven have won MVP. The only exception was Patrick Mahomes in 2020, who just happened to do it in the same year as Aaron Rodgers. There’s simply no reason to bench him in a must-win game vs. the Browns, especially with the Ravens having already lost to Cleveland once this season. They shouldn’t take this team lightly, and even if Jackson only plays three quarters, he should do plenty of scoring while he’s out there.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Justice Hill: FLEX Option, RB3
Like Jackson, Derrick Henry is a top-tier option at his position this week. He’s been fantastic in his first year with the Ravens, averaging 5.8 yards per attempt and more than 111 rushing yards per game. He’s also found the paint 16 times, and he should get all the work he can handle in a game the Ravens are expected to dominate.
Justice Hill has some incentives tied into his receiving production this week, so the Ravens may use him a bit more than usual in the passing game. He already has a 12% target share for the year, and he could also see some mop-up duty if this turns into a blowout. It’s enough to make him a low-end RB3 in Week 18.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Rashod Bateman: FLEX Option, WR4
It’s been a while since Zay Flowers has popped off for a big game. He’s finished outside the top 15 at the position in seven straight games, but he remains the closest thing the Ravens have to a No. 1 receiver. He leads the team with a 27% target share, and he’s been at 29% or greater in three straight games. However, the Ravens don’t typically throw the ball enough for that to result in double-digit targets. He’s also not the best touchdown scorer at the position — he has just four scores for the year — which makes him more of a WR2 than a WR1 vs. the Browns.
Rashod Bateman is more of the big-play option at the position. His average depth of target (aDOT) is 15.8 yards downfield, which is nearly five yards longer than Flowers. He’s managed to find the end zone eight times this season, including three in his past three games. He has a wide range of outcomes in a game where the Ravens might not have to throw much, but his upside is enough to put him in the flex conversation.
Tight End
Mark Andrews: Start, TE1
Isaiah Likely: Streaming Option, TE2
The Ravens’ pass-catching corps is a bit like a buffet: everybody eats. That includes both tight ends. Mark Andrews got off to a slow start this season, but he has turned things around over the second half of the year. He’s still not playing on nearly every snap or seeing a massive target share, but he makes up for it with his work around the goal line. He’s up to 10 touchdowns for the year, and he’s scored in five straight games. Overall, he’s a solid TE1 vs. the Browns.
Isaiah Likely is more inconsistent, making him more of a mid-to-low-end TE2. He actually ran more routes than Andrews last week, though it resulted in fewer targets overall. He has still shown the ability to produce a top-10 finish at the position, so he’s a viable streaming option in a game where the Ravens should do plenty of scoring.