Fourth-year Ravens receiver identified as a "sleeper" for 2023 season

We're just a little over two weeks for the start of the 2023 regular season and less than seven days away from knowing the final 53-man roster of the Baltimore Ravens.

Most of the training camp battles are already settled, but there is still an opening when it comes to the fifth and sixth wide receivers that will feature in the final Ravens roster.

Renowned fantasy analyst Renee Miller of The Athletic recently wrote an article in which she identified a Baltimore Ravens wide receiver as a potential "sleeper" for the 2023 season.

"Here’s why I like [Duvernay's] potential to come alive later in the season: 1) In 2022, Duvernay ranked second among WRs in fantasy points per target, with 2.37, 2) he led all receivers in contested catch rate (83.3 percent), and 3) he was a state champion sprinter in high school. The downside here is that those impressive efficiency numbers come from such a small sample size. I’m not trying to artificially inflate Duvernay’s value, but if the situation arises where he gets significant playing time and targets, he has the skills to beat defenders at the point of catch and burn them with his speed. He could be a touchdown machine later in the season if Beckham, in particular, were to miss any time."

- Renee Miller, The Athletic

Miller thinks that while the Ravens' offense is quite loaded, let alone at the wide receiver position, there might still be an opportunity for Duvernay to have a breakout-type season this year.

Duvernay, according to Miller's research, finished second amang fantasy WRs in fantasy points per target, which can be translated to "was rather productive gaining yards and catching passes on a per-target basis."

The receiver also led all receivers in contested catch rate (83.3%, min. 300 snaps), and less important but not less interesting is the little nugget of information about Duvernay being a former "state champion sprinter in high school."

All of those reasons are solid ones to believe in a breakout season by Duvernay, but at the end of the day it will all come down to opportunities (or the lack of those) for the fourth-year veteran.

With a pass-catching unit boasting the likes of Odell Beckham, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and TE Mark Andrews, it's going to be hard for Duvernay to make a big impact. However, as Miller points out, if someone misses time and "the situation arises he gets significant playing time and targets," Duvernay could defintely put on an extraordinary 2023 season.

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