When the Baltimore Ravens season kicks off for the start of 2023, there will be plenty of questions. One of them is which Ravens wide receiver you want to own in fantasy football. An easy answer could and probably should be Zay Flowers.
Sit Baltimore Ravens WR Zay Flowers vs the Houston Texans Week 1
The Ravens are committed to him in the long term, and he has the most upside of the group. The question is whether we will see that in week one or not. First, we do not even know the role that Flowers is going to have.
Yes, he excelled in the preseason, but the Ravens sat both Odell Beckham and Rashod Bateman in the preseason because those two had nothing else to prove. The thought could easily be that Beckham and Bateman will start this game on the outside, and Flowers will mix in as the slot.
He will likely be on the field a lot but could start the season as the third wide receiver. This would make a lot of sense when you think of the Baltimore Ravens' plans in the long term. They want to ease Flowers along and peak by the end of the season. That would not mean going all the way in on targeting him heavily in week one.
Flowers is a dynamic player, and they do want to get the ball in his hands, so a designed play or two may go his way. However, of any unit on the Houston Texans' defense, their secondary does have the most established talent.
Beyond that, while the Ravens will throw more this game, a lot of factors point to them running the football more. They are taking on a rookie quarterback on the road, and the Texans' offensive line is banged up. The Ravens should be able to establish an early lead and put this game away on the ground. More than that, they do not want to get crazy and go for high-risk, high-reward plays. They are the favorites, and if they play conservatively with no mistakes, they will easily win.
So, the Baltimore Ravens will lean on the run and only mix in Flowers as the third wide receiver. This may not set up for a huge fantasy football afternoon.