Seahawks @ Ravens
Final Score: Ravens 37, Seahawks 3
Writer: Brett Ford (@fadethatman on Twitter)
This result might turn some people’s heads, as the Baltimore Ravens blew the doors off of the Seattle Seahawks, completely dismantling an explosive offensive on their way to a lopsided 37-3 victory at home on Sunday afternoon. For the second time in three weeks, the Ravens crushed an NFC contender and earned their fourth-consecutive victory to keep pace with the Chiefs for the best record in the AFC (7-2).
There weren’t any really notable positive fantasy performances on the Seahawks’ side of the ball (though there were certainly some busts). The Baltimore defense held the visitors to just 151 total yards and just six first downs. Meanwhile, the Ravens’ offense got a huge boost from undrafted rookie free agent Keaton Mitchell, who busted onto the scene from seemingly nowhere.
Let’s dig in.
Seattle Seahawks
Quarterback
Geno Smith: 13/28, 157 Yards, INT | 2 Carries, 4 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost)
It was a long day at the office for Geno. He was sacked four times and looked uncomfortable in the pocket most of the game. His interception was a bad one as he overthrew a receiver on the boundary by about four yards for an easy catch for the safety. Smith has now turned the ball over eight times in the last four games. Drew Lock is waiting in the wings and, once upon a time, this was a true quarterback controversy. Smith has earned his coach’s trust but will have to improve his performance moving forward to keep the benefit of the doubt.
GENO TO GENO❗❗❗❗
Tune in on CBS! pic.twitter.com/MrNUAHCGun
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) November 5, 2023
Running Back
Kenneth Walker III: 9 Carries, 16 Yards | 2 Targets, 1 Reception, 1 Yard
The game script worked against him, and the Ravens’ stout run defense worked against him as well. Walker was on the field for just 24 of 49 offensive snaps, the lowest percentage of snaps that he’s seen this year. He and the Seahawks offense were rendered completely useless on Sunday.
Zach Charbonnet: 4 Carries, 8 Yards | 1 Target, 1 Reception, 5 Yards
The good news is that he was the most frequently used running back on Sunday, outsnapping Walker with 29 snaps to Walker’s 24. The bad news is that it didn’t matter. Charbonnet ran 18 routes but was targeted just once and handled four carries. He continues to creep into the picture but certainly has done nothing on the field to warrant a move in front of Walker for RB1 status.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Jaxon Smith-Njigba: 7 Targets, 6 Receptions, 63 Yards
The lone bright spot in this offense, JSN grabbed six of his seven targets for 63 yards as he continues to see his role expand within this offense. Smith-Njigba ran 30 routes (the same amount as Metcalf and just two fewer than Lockett) as he led the team in receiver production for the second time in the last three weeks.
DK Metcalf: 4 Targets, 1 Reception, 50 Yards
Metcalf caught just one pass, a long crossing route with about half of the yardage recorded after the catch. It was a bad day for the entire offense. There are brighter horizons ahead.
Tyler Lockett: 8 Targets, 3 Receptions, 32 Yards
Lockett was targeted a team-high eight times but pulled in just three catches for 32 yards. Lockett ran the most routes of any Seahawks’ pass-catcher (32), but as the whole offense struggled, his fantasy production just wasn’t up to snuff.
Colby Parkinson: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 6 Yards
Will Dissly: 1 Target
Noah Fant: 1 Target
The tight end squad was mostly useless, with Parkinson pulling in the trio’s only catch of the day. Fant and Parkinson appear to be the primary pass-catching tight ends, each running 14 routes on 26 and 22 snaps, respectively. Meanwhile, Dissly ran just three routes on 11 snaps.
Baltimore Ravens
Quarterback
Lamar Jackson: 21/26, 187 Yards | 10 Carries, 60 Yards, 1 Fumble (Lost), 1 Fumble (Recovered)
Jackson threw the ball to Andrews, handed the ball off to Edwards, and made good decisions taking care of the football (aside from a strip sack in the pocket) as he led the Ravens to another lopsided win. He truly looks to have command of Todd Monken’s offense and has blossomed over the last few weeks as the Ravens’ offense seems to have hit its stride. The touchdown variance will return his way moving forward, especially with how dominant the offensive line was against the Seahawks. Keep firing up #8 any chance you can.
Tyler Huntley: 5/7, 38 Yards, TD | 4 Carries, 8 Yards
Huntley stepped in for the fourth quarter with the game well in hand and showed that he is one of the best backups in the league, tossing a good ball to OBJ in the corner of the end zone for a touchdown.
Running Back
Keaton Mitchell: 9 Carries, 138 Yards, TD | 1 Target, 1 Reception
Ho-hum. Just another stud running back box score coming from this Ravens offense out of relative obscurity. Those who paid attention in the preseason were hopeful that the Ravens would stash Mitchell after a solid showing in his exhibition appearances. Mitchell started the year on injured reserve and debuted in Week 6. He got very limited action in Week 6 and Week 7, missed Week 8 with a hamstring injury, and finally got to show out against the unsuspecting Seahawks.
Mitchell showed patience and burst, running behind some excellent blocking and evading the second and third-level defenders with elite-level speed. The Ravens have an embarrassment of riches in their running back room, and will likely continue to integrate Mitchell with his role expanding over the second half of the season.
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN I WOULD LIKE TO FORMALLY WELCOME YOU TO KEATON MITCHELL SEASON… BUCKLE UP. pic.twitter.com/1Mzzx0FW2z
— Zach Bollinger (@zachbollinger18) November 5, 2023
Gus Edwards: 5 Carries, 52 Yards, 2 TD
Edwards was nursing an injury entering the week but was a full participant in late-week practices, so to see him carry the ball just five times on 14 snaps is surprising. He made the most of his opportunities though, finding the end zone twice. With the success that Mitchell had on Sunday, we may see Edwards’ workload reduced to a goal-line role, or at least see him in less of a bellcow role than he was in weeks 7 and 8.
Justice Hill: 13 Carries, 40 Yards | 1 Target
Hill served as the most frequent running back for the Ravens, seeing the field for 48 offensive snaps. However, he was also the least effective running back for the Ravens on Sunday. Any fantasy managers counting on Hill for some bye week production may want to rethink their strategies with the emergence of Mitchell.
Wide Receiver/Tight End
Mark Andrews: 10 Targets, 9 Receptions, 80 Yards
The primary target for Jackson as the Seahawks sat back in zone defense for most of the contest, Andrews found soft spots in the intermediate and short fields where he served as a security blanket for his quarterback. He continues to be one of the best tight end options in the league.
Odell Beckham Jr.: 7 Targets, 5 Receptions, 56 Yards, TD, 1 Fumble (Lost)
Beckham looked as healthy as he has been all year, zipping in and out of zone pockets and grabbing five catches and a score. The veteran looked spry in his route running and was as involved as he has been all season. His ceiling is sky high, if he can stay healthy.
Odell Beckham Jr. scores his first TD as a Raven on his birthday 🥳pic.twitter.com/qgIiq9K2Cn
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) November 5, 2023
Isaiah Likely: 4 Targets, 4 Receptions, 42 Yards
Likely was more involved in the offense than he has been all season as the Ravens ran him in 12-personnel on 19 snaps. Catching four passes on just nine routes, Likely flashed the same efficiency he showed in spurts last season, but for now, he can’t be counted on for consistent production.
Rashod Bateman: 5 Targets, 3 Receptions, 28 Yards
Bateman appears to have won the WR3 job back from Nelson Agholor, running 23 routes – just two fewer than OBJ, and seven more than Agholor. Though he’s seen an uptick in production, he still hasn’t done enough to warrant much fantasy consideration.
Zay Flowers: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 11 Yards
He was used sparsely in this contest, in part because it was a blowout and in part because the Seahawks sat in a soft zone all day and got picked apart by other pass-catchers. This should not be a concerning line and more of a one-off outlier performance.
Devin Duvernay: 2 Targets, 2 Receptions, 10 Yards
Nelson Agholor: 1 Target, 1 Reception, 2 Yards