Game Info
Kickoff: Monday, October 21st, 2024, 8:15 ET
Location: Raymond James Stadium, Tampa, Florida
Network: ESPN/ABC/ESPN+
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: Start, QB1
Lamar Jackson is our QB2 this week behind only rookie phenom Jayden Daniels, who gets the Carolina Panthers this week. Jackson’s matchup against the Buccaneers is another favorable one, as Tampa is tied with the Panthers as the teams allowing the sixth-most points to opposing QBs. Jackson is having another MVP-caliber season and is a must-start every week.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: Start, RB1
Justice Hill: Sit, RB4
Speaking of must-starts, few players are more deserving of that title right now than Derrick Henry. Henry has scored at least once in every game this season and owns a dominant share of the workload in one of the elite rushing attacks in the league. He is a no-doubt RB1 with a chance to go nuclear any given week. Justice Hill, meanwhile, is only seeing a minor role as a change of pace/satellite back. He’s a great real-world player and valuable to the Ravens, but he’s not a solid fantasy asset for now.
Wide Receiver
Zay Flowers: Start, WR2
Rashod Bateman: Sit, WR5
That’s back-to-back games with over 100 receiving yards for Zay Flowers, who seems to be finding his groove as the Ravens’ WR1. There’s always the possibility that the Ravens will lean extensively on their run game, which can spell trouble for Flowers and the rest of Baltimore’s pass catchers, but Flowers should be a solid WR2 option in what could be a shootout at Raymond James Stadium. Rashod Bateman also logged his highest yardage total of 2024 in Week 6, but he’s still a very risky play as a tertiary option in a run-first offensive scheme.
Tight End
Mark Andrews: Streaming Option
Isaiah Likely: Sit, TE2
Will we ever feel confident in starting either of these options for the rest of the season? Probably not, but Mark Andrews has shown more life than Isaiah Likely as of late. Andrews scored his first touchdown of the year last week and is a “start if you must” option with a very low floor.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield: Start, QB1
The legend of Baker Mayfield continues to grow. Against a supposedly tough New Orleans defense in Week 6, Mayfield racked up four touchdown passes en route to a 51-27 shellacking of the Saints. There is no reason to believe he should be anything but a QB1 against a Ravens defense allowing the third-most points to QBs. Start him with confidence and let him bake.
Running Back
Bucky Irving: FLEX Option, RB3
Rachaad White: FLEX Option, RB3
Sean Tucker: Sit, RB4
This is without a doubt the most complicated backfield situation in the NFL at the moment. Should Rachaad White return to action in Week 7, he will supposedly lead a three-headed backfield committee with Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker, both of whom looked more explosive than White in Week 6. If White plays, both he and Irving are iffy FLEX plays due to questions regarding volume. If he sits another week, Irving will be a solid RB2 while Tucker would warrant FLEX consideration.
Wide Receiver
Chris Godwin: Start, WR1
Mike Evans: Start, WR2
Currently the PPR WR1 on the season, you should be starting Chris Godwin without a second thought every week from here on out. The same goes for Mike Evans in non-Saints matchups. While Godwin has displayed a more reliable floor and a higher ceiling than Evans on a weekly basis, Evans is still a threat to score multiple touchdowns in any week. He’s still looking for that 100th receiving touchdown, and he may get it this week at home against the Ravens.
Tight End
Cade Otton: Streaming Option
Cade Otton has emerged as an iffy streaming option in Tampa Bay’s offense, earning at least 4 targets in each of the last four games. The Ravens have been relatively soft against the position in 2024, meaning Otton has a decent chance to find paydirt and return value this week. Just don’t expect anything too crazy.