The Baltimore Ravens' wide receiver room outside of Zay Flowers is fairly young and unproven. ESPN projected that Rashod Bateman and Ja'Kobi Lane will be the Ravens' two starting wide receivers next to Zay.
At the surface level, this makes a lot of sense. Bateman is the biggest name behind Flowers, and despite a down season, he remains the team's second most established WR. Furthermore, Lane was drafted in the third-round while Elijah Sarratt was drafted in the fourth-round, which, on paper, gives him a slight leg up.
However, I predict that either Sarratt or Devontez Walker will crash the party and earn a starting role by Week 1. Both Sarratt and Walker have been noted as standouts throughout the early parts of the Ravens' offseason.
Notably, Ryan Mink of BaltimoreRavens.com listed Sarratt as a standout during minicamp and OTAs, while Walker earned a similar designation as a "stock up player" from Jeff Zrebiec of The Athletic.
If Sarratt and/or Walker can continue their positive momentum into training camp, it could propel one (or even both of them) to a starting job. Without a doubt, this would be a major shake-up from what is currently being projected by ESPN.
Why Elijah Sarratt and/or Devontez Walker could jump up the Baltimore Ravens' depth chart
While Lane has some level of an advantage over Sarratt, his role as a starter is far from secure. The buzz around Sarratt is strong, and while a lot can change, it seems like he's made a strong first impression with the Ravens coaching staff, which could ultimately help catapult him to a starting role.
Given that both Lane and Sarratt are physical X-receivers, the two are likely directly competing with each other for a starting job.
Bateman, despite his name value, shouldn't be penciled in as a starter. He recorded just 224 yards last year and two touchdowns. Ravens fans (including myself) thought that Bateman took away too many snaps from Walker last season. While Walker was targeted just eight times, he racked up 136 yards and three touchdowns.
Walker's elite speed and knack for making big plays make him a picture-perfect fit in Declan Doyle's system, which puts explosive plays at a premium.
Frankly, Walker is the Ravens' best-kept secret, and the new coaching staff needs to be ready to unleash him if he continues to prove himself worthy of a bigger role. If Walker outperforms Bateman in training camp, there's no reason why he shouldn't earn a starting role.
The Ravens could also simply start Walker alongside Bateman. Regardless, the point is that if he continues to impress, Walker has a clear path to earning a starting role.
Ultimately, while ESPN's projected starting lineup feels logical right now, with Walker and Sarratt trending up, change could be on the horizon in Baltimore.
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