Kickoff: Sunday, December 12th at 1 PM ET
Location: First Energy Stadium in Cleveland, OH
Betting Odds: CLE, -2.5, 42.5 Total on Tipico Sportsbooks
Network: CBS
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson (Start)
Lamar Jackson to Mark Andrews
Insane 🤯 pic.twitter.com/JqJSo5vrMu
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) November 29, 2021
Lamar Jackson has been bad as of late. How bad? Well, he’s thrown eight interceptions in the past 4 games and four of those came in the Ravens’ first encounter with the Browns. In that game, he had a season-low 9.4 fantasy points and seemed to struggle with the Browns pass rush. Jackson usually can keep his fantasy numbers up, on the ground, but this year has been different, with only two rushing TDs and two games with over 100 yards rushing. Look for Jackson to be a QB1 in this game, if there’s any team he can bounce back on it’s the Browns.
Running Backs
Devonta Freeman (Start)
DeVonta Freeman cuts dudes up on a weekly basis. Crosses the grain on the zone flow, makes two defenders run into each other, then leaves Minkah in the dust 🔪 pic.twitter.com/KcZea0IQ6O
— Spencer Schultz (@ravens4dummies) December 7, 2021
Devonta Freeman should be a very solid RB2 for the rest of the season. If he can continue to replicate the receiving numbers of last week, then he may sprinkle in some RB1 performance in the fantasy playoffs. As far as this game goes Freeman should be the prominent run threat outside of Lamar, and should continue to get red zone carries in this game. Look for Freeman to be a RB2 in this game with the possibility of a RB1 performance.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Marquise Brown (Start), Mark Andrews (Start), Rashod Bateman (Sit)
HOW ARE WE FEELING MARK ANDREWS MANAGERS pic.twitter.com/THZxrdVaM6
— PFF Fantasy & Betting (@PFF_Fantasy) October 12, 2021
Marquise Brown has averaged 11.2 targets/game since Week 7, and had 10 in the last matchup with the Browns. Hollywood could easily replicate his performance in Week 12, and that makes him a WR2 in PPR and with a TD that could put him over as a WR1. Rashod Bateman can’t be trusted until he officially breaks out, I’m sitting him in this game. Mark Andrews is the real threat in this game, in Week 12 he caught four passes for 65 yards and a TD. Andrews and Lamar Jackson need to get back on track before the playoff and this could be their game. Andrews is a TE1 and a start in this game.
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Baker Mayfield (Sit)
For all the Baker Mayfield haters who tried to blame the DPJ drop on Baker, here’s Hall of Famer @kurt13warner telling you that you have no idea what you’re talking about. End of argument. #Browns pic.twitter.com/qVP8ZoYTWJ
— Ed Greenberger (@EdGreenberger) December 2, 2021
Baker Mayfield is coming into this game all banged up and nearly fantasy irrelevant. Mayfield is QB26 on the year and has been a disappointment in fantasy this year. His best finish on the year has been QB8 in Week 5 and that was also his only 20 point finish in fantasy. Even with a banged-up Baltimore secondary, I think this is going to be a tough matchup for Mayfield. The Ravens are a tough and gritty team that are well-coached so they’ll find a way to be a thorn in the behind of the Browns’ QB. Mayfield isn’t a startable quarterback for me in this game.
Running Backs
Nick Chubb (Start), Kareem Hunt (Flex)
.@NickChubb21's #ProBowlVote & #TDThursdays make the bye week better.
Retweet for more votes! 🗳
📺: #BALvsCLE – CBS 12/12 pic.twitter.com/slCV0id6d2
— Cleveland Browns (@Browns) December 2, 2021
Nick Chubb had 16 yards on the ground and 23 receiving yards in the last game against Baltimore. That being said I don’t think he has as little success in this game as the previous encounter but if he doesn’t score in this game he may not be relevant. The Ravens have been one of the best teams against the run allowing the fourth-fewest yards (859) and the fifth-fewest TDs (8). If you have Chubb you’re still playing him as a high-end RB2 in this game. Kareem Hunt‘s first game back was against Baltimore in Week 12, gaining 20 yards on seven carries. I think you can flex Hunt in this game with the expectation that he gets involved in the receiving game.
Wide Receivers and Tight Ends
Jarvis Landry (Start), Donovan Peoples-Jones (Flex), Anthony Schwartz (Sit), Austin Hooper (Start)
Jarvis Landry is really a dodgeball legend 😂🔥 @God_Son80 @Browns pic.twitter.com/3eOJIpvA4w
— The Checkdown (@thecheckdown) January 26, 2021
Jarvis Landry had his best game of the season against the Ravens, going for 111 receiving yards. Landry’s game is built for PPR success and in this one, he should be a good play as a WR3/flex. Donovan Peoples-Jones is an interesting play with the Ravens secondary banged up. He’s a real boom/bust player, I think he can pull one off in this game and make himself a flex play. Anthony Schwartz is a real burner but has yet to break off something worth talking about and until he does, you can’t play him. Austin Hooper is a real wildcard in this game with David Njoku out. He should be peppered with targets making him a good play for anyone needing a tight end in Week 14.