Breaking down the Ravens’ final depth chart for Wild Card round

The Baltimore Ravens’ deep roster will be put to the test on Sunday when the team faces the Cincinnati Bengals in the Wild Card round.

As a whole, the Ravens boast a much healthier squad compared to last season and have managed to earn a spot in the postseason. The playoff buzz has nonetheless grown louder for their AFC North rivals, the Bengals, who possess a much stronger offense than the Ravens and are touted to knock them out early.

If the Ravens want a real chance to advance to the divisional round, certain backups will need to play the best games of their careers.

Here’s a look at the Ravens’ final depth chart ahead of Sunday’s matchup.

Baltimore Ravens’ depth chart for Wild Card game vs. Bengals

Quarterback

Starter: Lamar Jackson

Backups: Tyler Huntley, Anthony Brown

The headline of the week is Jackson’s pending availability for the Wild Card round, and at the time of this writing, he appears unlikely to play on Sunday. Tyler Huntley would slide in under center as he has done for the final stretch of the regular season, but Huntley’s status remains slightly cloudy as well given his nagging shoulder issue. Anthony Brown is the team’s third-stringer and could be called upon if Huntley can’t go; the Ravens can also elevate Brett Hundley from the practice squad ahead of the game.

Running back

Starter: J.K. Dobbins

Backups: Gus Edwards, Justice Hill, Kenyan Drake

Dobbins sat out in Week 18 for precautionary reasons but should be at full strength for Sunday. Gus Edwards suffered a potential concussion in the season finale and will be racing against the clock to exit concussion protocol and be ready for the playoffs. Should Edwards not recover in time, the Ravens will employ a two-man running back committee behind Dobbins that consists of special teamer Justice Hill and pass-catching back Kenyan Drake.

Wide receiver

Starters: Demarcus Robinson, Sammy Watkins

Backups: James Proche, Tylan Wallace

The Ravens’ starting wideouts will be Demarcus Robinson and Sammy Watkins, both of whom were signed to short deals this season with the hopes of making an immediate impact. A noticeable name missing from the unit is DeSean Jackson, who was recently waived after seven games with the team. Hopefully, the other veteran receivers can make something happen on Sunday.

Tight end

Starters: Mark Andrews, Josh Oliver

Backups: Isaiah Likely, Charlie Kolar

Mark Andrews should play a significant role in the Ravens’ passing attack and established some chemistry with Huntley in Week 17 against the Steelers. Josh Oliver will serve primarily as a blocking tight end and should help facilitate a strong run game. We wouldn’t be surprised if rookie Isaiah Likely saw extra snaps after his 100-yard receiving performance in Week 18; after all, tight end-heavy sets are a hallmark of Ravens football.

Offensive line

Starters: Ronnie Stanley, Ben Powers, Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, Morgan Moses

Backups: Daniel Faalele, Trystan Colon, Ben Cleveland, Pat Mekari

No surprises here. The offensive line has avoided major injury and will go into Sunday at full strength: Tyler Linderbaum, Kevin Zeitler, and Morgan Moses are some of the most underrated stars of this Ravens’ offense. As always, the ever-versatile and reliable Pat Mekari will serve as a backup should any starters get hurt in the game.

Defensive line

Starters: Calais Campbell, Broderick Washington, Justin Madubuike

Backups: Brent Urban, Travis Jones

After a brief injury scare, Calais Campbell appears fully recovered and should stand tall in the D-line along with Broderick Washington and Justin Madubuike. NFL games are indeed won and lost in the trenches, and the Ravens’ elite defensive line should put together another solid performance, albeit that alone may not be enough to secure a victory.

Inside Linebackers

Starters: Roquan Smith, Patrick Queen

Backups: Malik Harrison, Kristian Welch, Del’Shawn Phillips

Here’s where the Ravens shine the brightest: Roquan Smith and Patrick Queen are ready to seek and destroy on Sunday, and those two are very capable of disrupting even the most well-oiled offenses. The threatening linebacker duo will look to create mismatches on the field and bring the game to the Bengals, one hard hit at a time.

Outside Linebackers

Starters: Jason Pierre-Paul, Tyus Bowser

Backups: Justin Houston, Odafe Oweh, David Ojabo

Jason Pierre-Paul and Tyus Bowser will likely get the start and try to find more success than they did in Week 18. Joe Burrow showed off his scrambling skills and managed to worm his way out of pressure on multiple occasions, but this time, the Ravens’ pass-rush unit will want to make an impact early and set the tone for the rest of the game. Justin Houston, Odafe Oweh, and David Ojabo all represent talented pass-rushers who will also get their chance to take down Burrow.

Secondary

Starters: Marcus Peters, Marlon Humphrey, Marcus Williams, Chuck Clark, Kyle Hamilton

Backups: Daryl Worley, Kevon Seymour, Brandon Stephens, Geno Stone, Damarion Williams

This is the secondary the Ravens dreamed of at the beginning of the season. The unit remains fairly healthy heading into the Wild Card game with only Peters nursing a small injury issue. Daryl Worley will probably play a larger role if Peters isn’t healthy. Between the starters and the backups, the pass defense is stacked with playmakers on every level and a pick-six just might be in the cards…

Special teams

Starters: Jordan Stout, Justin Tucker, Nick Moore

All hail Justin Tucker. The Ravens have continued to struggle with red zone execution and will more than likely call upon Tucker to make his signature long-distance field goals. Special teams has been Baltimore’s bread and butter this season, and the unit may be able to pull off a few surprises on Sunday.