The Baltimore Ravens offense was up and down in a win against the Houston Texans. It will lead to questions about whether you should start Odell Beckham in week two against the Cincinnati Bengals after he had just two catches for 37 yards. However, he is a strong bounce-back candidate in fantasy football.
Odell Beckham is a good fantasy football start vs Cincinnati Bengals in week two
When you look at the box score, Zay Flowers was the number one wideout, but on the field, the Baltimore Ravens treated Odell Beckham as their X and their number one wide receiver. He played every snap and ran every route, while Flowers ran 28 of the 30 routes. Odell Beckham was only targeted three times, but all of them came on third down, and most of them came down the field.
Beckham hauled in a 29-yard catch, the biggest play of the game. He had 41% of the Baltimore Ravens air yards, while Zay Flowers had just 25%. His average depth was 14, while Flowers was 2.6. So, Flowers will rack up the volume, but when Lamar Jackson hits Beckham, it will be the big chunk plays down the field. That is what you want in fantasy football.
Beckham drew two pass interference calls, one for 17 and one for 26 yards. They may not have been catchable balls, but if you count the yards he gained, he would have 80 yards, two more than Zay Flowers. That would have been on four catches, five fewer than Flowers. So, the chances of Beckham getting more yards and touchdowns than Flowers can happen on far fewer opportunities than it took Flowers this week.
It may help that he gets the Cincinnati Bengals this week. They have a good defense but questions at cornerback. Cam Taylor-Britt, Dax Hill, and Nick Scott are all new starters this year, while Chidobe Awuzie is coming back from an injury.
They survived week one, but the weather and the issues of Deshaun Watson aided that. This week, they should be tested more. You can say what you want about the Texans' defense, but they are, but they have a better secondary on paper than the Bengals.
Look for Beckham to end up as the leading receiver this week, as he hauls in multiple passes of 20 yards or more.