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Selecting Zay Flowers in the first round of the 2023 NFL Draft denotes that the Baltimore Ravens might put more premium on their passing attack. Lining him up with Rashod Bateman and Odell Beckham Jr. gives the AFC North squad an explosive receiving corps and adds an intriguing touch to his potential in fantasy football.
Flowers showed potential in his final year at Boston College, finishing with 1,077 receiving yards and 12 touchdowns. Joining an NFL team with legitimate playoff aspirations means much is expected from the Florida native. But will he deliver enough to turn the heads of fantasy football owners?
Zay Flowers Fantasy Outlook for Week 1
Flowers was the most impressive among all Baltimore Ravens wide receivers. He consistently improved while carving a niche in Todd Monken’s offensive system during training camp. He also had two catches in as many targets during their preseason game against the Washington Commanders.
In that contest, Zay Flowers showed his speed and shiftiness during a 26-yard touchdown pass from Josh Johnson. He caught the ball after making a five-yard “out” route and dashed to the end zone. Ravens fans and fantasy owners who drafted him hope to see more of those during the 2023 NFL season.
However, his fantasy football outlook depends on several factors. First, will the Ravens embrace the sudden shift of becoming a pass-first team? The answer to this depends on whether Lamar Jackson is comfortable being more of a pocket passer.
Second, will Baltimore sacrifice the run game, especially now that J.K. Dobbins and Gus Edwards are both healthy? Edwards had 433 yards in nine games for the Ravens last season.
Meanwhile, Dobbins had 427 yards and two touchdowns in seven games. The 2022 season is more of a break-in for them, and they are expected to bounce back in 2023.
Finally, how healthy are Odell Beckham Jr. and Rashod Bateman in Week 1? The one-time Super Bowl champion missed the 2022 season after another ACL injury. Likewise, Bateman played in only 18 games over his first two seasons.
Opposing defenses will focus more on Beckham Jr. and Bateman because of their deep-threat capabilities. Zay Flowers will have difficulty getting favorable coverage from the slot without them.
Despite these concerns, fantasy football websites project him to finish with 690 to 730 yards and five touchdowns in his rookie season.
Also read: Odell Beckham Jr. fantasy outlook for 2023
Best Position For Zay Flowers On Your Week 1 Fantasy Roster
The Ravens will face the Houston Texans at home for their season opener. Though they ended up with the second-worst record last year, the Texans finished tenth in passing yards allowed per game last season (209.3).
The Texans have a respectable defensive secondary featuring Derek Stingley Jr., Shaquill Griffin, Stevie Nelson, and Jalen Pitre. However, Baltimore has the personnel who can exploit Houston’s weakness.
Last season, the Texans finished last in rushing yards allowed per game (170.2). Conversely, Baltimore finished second in rushing yards per game (160). Jackson, Dobbins, and Edwards have the mobility to punish the Texans from the ground.
That said, likely, the Ravens won’t deviate from their run-first mentality, especially with tight end Mark Andrews also nursing an injury. Therefore, at best, Zay Flowers is a flex option for your Week 1 fantasy football team.
Also read: Chris Olave fantasy outlook for 2023
