Ravens @ Browns
Final Score: Browns 29, Ravens 24
Writer: Brett Ford (@FadeThatMan on Twitter)
Any given Sunday, right? Jameis Winston and the ragtag Cleveland Browns defended home turf on Sunday afternoon, slinging the rock around the yard and doing enough on defense to frustrate the Baltimore offense to earn a 29-24 victory over their division rival. Winston played exceptionally well, especially in the second half, while Cedric Tillman emerged once again as the top receiving option in the aftermath of the Cooper deal. Let’s dig in.
Three Up
- Jameis Winston – The ol’ gunslinger is back and led his underdog squad to a massive victory over a divisional rival. Everybody’s “eatin’ a W” tonight in Cleveland.
- Cedric Tillman – For the second-consecutive week, Tillman balled out, leaving Browns fans asking, “Amari who?”
- David Njoku – He caught a touchdown for the second-straight week, Mossing a defender for a score.
Three Down
- Justice Hill – He disappeared despite a neutral to negative game script nearly all game.
- Rashod Bateman – After a handful of solid performances in a row, he threw up a dud.
- Baltimore Defense – The Birds got sliced, diced and fricasseed by perennial backup Jameis Winston.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: 23/38, 289 Yards, 2 TDs | 8 Carries, 46 Yards
After showing out on national television on Monday night, Lamar was relatively pedestrian against a division rival on Sunday afternoon. Though it was still a solid performance, it marked a down game for the MVP favorite entering the weekend. The Ravens’ offense left too many points on the field, turning the ball over on downs twice (including the final play of the game–an incompletion in the end zone) and a missed field goal. Jackson was serviceable in fantasy but left a lot to be desired in real life.
Running Back
Derrick Henry: 11 Carries, 73 Yards, TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 4 Yards
Another week, another Derrick Henry touchdown. And I’m sorry, but as a Ravens fan, 11 carries are not enough for Derrick Henry in a divisional game. He averaged 6.6 yards per carry but manufactured more than half his yardage on a 39-yard run in the second quarter where he showed excellent vision bursting to the outside for a big chunk play. If the Ravens refuse to allow the run game to work, they will continue to lose games they shouldn’t lose – especially in January.
Justice Hill: 2 Carries, 5 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 14 Yards
Hill was a complete non-factor, despite a neutral to negative game script throughout. This was an extremely disappointing game for Hill and Hill managers.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Zay Flowers: 12 Targets, 7 Receptions, 115 Yards
For anyone who questioned Zay’s health entering this game (myself included), Flowers served them a slice of humble pie with a 7-catch, 115-yard performance. Flowers showed no signs of any lingering ankle injury from Monday night’s game and was as good as he’s been all season. Now if his fantasy managers could just get him in the endzone, there would be no gripes whatsoever.
Mark Andrews: 5 Targets, 5 Receptions, 36 Yards, TD
So how many fantasy managers had given up on Mark Andrews? He’s now caught four touchdowns in his last three games, en route to becoming Baltimore’s all-time leader in touchdown receptions. Not bad for a guy that was playing offensive tackle just a few weeks ago.
FOUR touchdowns in three weeks?
MARK ANDREWS IS SO BACK pic.twitter.com/q5qRFm55YN
— NFL Fantasy Football (@NFLFantasy) October 27, 2024
Isiah Likely: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 47 Yards
Isiah Likely appears to be back behind Mark Andrews in terms of the pecking order for the Ravens’ pass-catchers, but in today’s TE landscape he still offers decent weekly upside. He’s not a must-hold, but can come through in a pinch for you during BYE weeks.
Nelson Agholor: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 36 Yards, TD
Agholor has the skill set to be that crafty old veteran receiver who finds the end zone now and again for this Ravens team. Nothing he does is flashy and his ceiling is nearly always capped. He carries the same value as a backup tight end (not named Likely) and hit his ceiling on Sunday with three catches and a score. His touchdown catch marked his first since the divisional round of the playoffs last season.
Denzel Ward hadn’t allowed a TD in coverage all season, per PFF.
Enter Nelson Agholor. pic.twitter.com/w9jFwda59m
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) October 27, 2024
Rashod Bateman: 5 Targets, 1 Reception, 28 Yards
It looked like Bateman was turning a corner and had found something in his game, until Sunday when he turned in a stinker. He made a key drop in the fourth quarter on what would have been a massive gain. The silver lining for fantasy managers is that at least he still saw five targets.
Lamar no help Jackson, he the only reason we got 5 wins definition of MVP pic.twitter.com/QyelaotT9c
— ْ (@WoeeLeek) October 27, 2024
Charlie Kolar: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 9 Yards
Cleveland Browns
Quarterback
Jameis Winston: 27/41, 334 Yards, 3 TDs | 2 Carries, 2 Yards, Fumble (Lost)
Winston balled out. He showed for a third time with a different team that he’s entirely capable and completely unafraid of slinging the rock. The dude showed off the pedigree and the arm talent of a top draft pick and made some incredible throws (with some crazy bad ones mixed in. His mistakes weren’t costly though and his triumphs were immense, dicing up the Ravens’ secondary on multiple occasions. The perfect storm of a quarterback with outstanding arm talent, questionable decision-making, and zero fear played perfectly against the aggressive (but vulnerable) Baltimore defense.
JAMEIS WINSTON WHAT IN THE WORLD??
THE BROWNS BEAT THE RAVENS
THIS IS THE NFL. BEST SPORT IN THE WORLDpic.twitter.com/tKAVHxyb67
— Dov Kleiman (@NFL_DovKleiman) October 27, 2024
Running Back
Nick Chubb: 16 Carries, 52 Yards | 2 Targets
Chubb had a tough matchup as the Ravens have proven to be a pass-funnel defense all season long. He dug his heels in, put his head down, and gained 3.3 yards per carry. The bright spot is that he got 16 touches and even a pair of targets. His involvement is extremely encouraging for fantasy managers and should produce more in better matchups moving forward.
D’onta Foreman: 5 Carries, 26 Yards
Foreman trudged for 26 yards on five carries, spelling Chubb on a handful of early downs and short yardage snaps. He may end up stealing a goal-line carry at some point down the road but didn’t play into this one.
Pierre Strong: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 3 Yards
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Cedric Tillman: 9 Targets, 7 Receptions, 99 Yards, 2 TDs
For the second consecutive week, Cedric Tillman led the Browns in receiving yards filling in admirably for the now-Buffalo Bill Amari Cooper. Winston found his favorite target for seven receptions, 99 yards, and a pair of scores. Tillman caught the game-winner, beating the Ravens’ safeties over the top for a long score to put his team ahead for good.
David Njoku: 7 Targets, 5 Reception, 61 Yards, TD
Njoku was looked at as one of the biggest beneficiaries of the Browns’ recent glut of targets available but has benefitted more from Winston’s introduction to the offense than from Cooper’s exit (which can frankly be said about all of the Browns’ pass-catchers). Happy National Tight End Day to all who celebrated with the big fella’s touchdown catch, snatching it over the back of a Ravens defender.
We’re heavily looking into David Njoku’s elite TE1 status pic.twitter.com/fLQBBz4XIA
— Hayden Winks (@HaydenWinks) October 27, 2024
Jerry Jeudy: 8 Targets, 5 Receptions, 79 Yards
Nobody has seen a more marked improvement in usage with the insertion of Winston into the offense than Jeudy. Before Winston entered last week’s game, Jeudy had just one target but finished the game with three catches on five targets after just two drives with Winston at the helm. This week, he was targeted eight times and finished with a season-high 79 receiving yards on five catches. He hasn’t caught a touchdown since the first week of the season, but that may change soon with the gunslinger Jameis under center.
Elijah Moore: 12 Targets, 8 Receptions, 85 Yards
New play-caller Ken Dorsey likes to utilize Moore, calling his number to the tune of a game-high 12 targets. Moore finished with 85 receiving yards, his most since 2021. If the Browns continue to utilize Moore in underneath routes and short-yardage open-field situations, he could become a relevant playmaker, especially in PPR leagues (think Wan’dale Robinson).
Geoff Swaim: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 7 Yards
Jordan Akins: 1 Target