Andrews Signs Extension

The Ravens wasted no time locking up one of their star offensive players before the season began. Mark Andrews signed an extension with the Ravens for $56 million over four years. Andrews is already one of the most dangerous tight ends in the NFL, and the Ravens have smartly locked up one of their talented offensive weapons for years to come. Andrews will remain a big target for the Ravens’ passing game over the next couple of seasons.

2021 Fantasy Projection

So, what’s in store for Andrews in 2021? I believe Andrews is in store for a huge season for the Ravens in 2021. Andrews was still good from a fantasy perspective in 2020, but he finished as the TE6 in PPR leagues. It was disappointing for fantasy managers that drafted Andrews with the expectation he would finish in the top 3. Andrews underperformed his ADP in 2020, but I expect him to get back to top-five fantasy production in 2021.

Andrews should open the year as Lamar Jackson’s number one target in the passing game. Due to all of the injuries the Ravens currently have. The Ravens did make it a priority to bring in more weapons this off-season. Sammy Watkins and impressive rookie Rashod Bateman are both banged up. Bateman will miss the first couple of weeks of the 2021 season, as the Ravens placed him on short-term IR. With Bateman set to miss the first couple of weeks of the season and Watkins already struggling with injuries, I expect Jackson to lean heavy on Andrews in the passing game this year. Andrews may see closer to 100 targets this season, similar to his 2019 season. Andrews led the Ravens in receiving in 2019, and I believe he has the chance to repeat that this year.

2021 prediction: TE4

Future Outlook

There’s no question Mark Andrews remains one of the top fantasy TE’s you can have on your roster. Andrews is among the elite group of tight ends in fantasy, and he will remain in that group for the following years to come. Andrews will be a part of the Ravens’ young core of offensive players, including Lamar Jackson, J.K. Dobbins, Marquise Brown, and Rashod Bateman. While the Ravens have shown over the past few season’s they are a run-heavy team. Andrews has been able to find fantasy success in this offense before. Andrews led all fantasy tight ends in touchdowns in 2019 and finished with the 4^th most in 2020.

Andrews is an elite fantasy TE who belongs in the second tier of fantasy TEs. With the Ravens locking up their premier tight end for the future, Andrews should remain a top fantasy tight end in dynasty for the next couple of seasons. We don’t know the status of Lamar Jackson’s future in Baltimore yet. It is expected the Ravens resign Jackson. Andrews is a part of the top six dynasty tight ends, and I expect him to remain on that list over the next few years.

Dynasty Ranking: TE6

The post Mark Andrews Dynasty Outlook appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

By Chris Moore (Twitter: @fantasy_moore)

After an unfortunate season-ending injury to Ravens star running back J.K. Dobbins, Gus Edwards is now in store for a larger workload in 2021. Edwards has soured up fantasy draft boards over the past few days due to his new role in the Ravens backfield. While he may not be the talent J.K. Dobbins is, Edwards has been a highly efficient running back during his time with the Ravens. Over the past three NFL seasons, there have only been six running backs with over 700 plus rushing yards. Aaron Jones, Ezekiel Elliot, Nick Chubb, Alvin Kamara, Derrick Henry, and Gus Edwards. That’s an impressive list. I think it’s fair to say Edwards has been sneaky good over his NFL career so far. Edwards has averaged five yards a carry over his first three years in the league.

While Edwards took a backseat to J.K. Dobbins and Mark Ingram in the Ravens running back committee last season, he produced 723 rushing yards on 144 carries and scored six touchdowns. Like him or not, Edwards has been rock solid for the Ravens in his short career, rushing for over 700 yards in each of his first three years in Baltimore. The Ravens believe in Edwards as a player, bringing him back on a two-year deal earlier this offseason. Edwards might not be the most talented runner in the NFL, but he is a highly efficient back who is underrated.  

Gus Edwards’ new fantasy ADP

Like I stated earlier in the article, Gus Edwards’ ADP has already skyrocketed in drafts over the past week. Edwards is currently the 77^th player off the board in PPR leagues, being drafted as the RB29. With Edwards set to lead the Ravens backfield in carries in 2021, I think it’s safe to say Edwards has a very high chance of exceeding his current ADP. Volume is king in fantasy football, and Edwards will see a lot of it in 2021. With the Ravens having one of the league’s best rushing attacks, Edwards has the potential in 2021 to finish as a high-end RB2. While we don’t know if the Ravens will add more competition to their backfield before the start of the season, Edwards should be the primary ball carrier for the Ravens in 2021.

2021 fantasy projection  

With J.K. Dobbins set to miss the entire season, Edwards is a solid RB2 option for fantasy managers in 2021. The Ravens will still run the ball a ton, giving Edwards and Jackson plenty of opportunities to produce on the ground. I project Edwards to rush for over 1,000 yards and have around 8-10 rushing touchdowns in this offense this season with the potential for more. While Edwards’ fantasy potential is limited due to his lack of receiving production, he is still a solid RB2 with upside.

The Ravens have led the NFL in rushing yards and attempts over the past two seasons, and I expect that trend to continue this year. Edwards is in one of the best rushing offenses in the entire NFL, and he should have a huge season operating as the Ravens’ lead rusher in 2021.

Projected fantasy finish: RB18

The post Gus Edwards’s fantasy outlook and projection for 2021 appeared first on Pro Football Mania.

Daniel Racz @Danny___Dimes

Introduction

When Lamar Jackson entered the 2018 NFL draft, the football community debated whether or not his style would translate to the league. Though some believed Lamar’s athleticism could best be utilized as a wide receiver, the Ravens ultimately traded up into the first round to take the quarterback with the 32nd pick.

In his first full season as the starter, Lamar took the league by storm and won the MVP trophy. Many expected Lamar to repeat his 2019 success, but he fell short of expectations. Lamar did not throw for as many touchdowns, and he caught covid during the season, which caused him to miss time. The Ravens should feature an improved offensive line and playmaker group, so a repeat MVP performance could be on the horizon for Lamar Jackson.

Offensive Line Help

Prior to the 2020 season, perennial all-pro guard Marshall Yanda retired, leaving a hole on the Ravens’ offensive line. During the year, all-pro pass protecting tackle Ronnie Stanley tore his ACL, forcing him to miss significant time. Stanley is expected to be ready for week one, so Lamar will have his left tackle back.

During the offseason, the Ravens made additions to their line. To replace Orlando Brown Jr, Baltimore signed ex-Steeler tackle Alejandro Villanueva. Villanueva has been a consistently above-average tackle since entering the league in 2015, grading out above 70 in five of his six seasons per PFF. The Ravens also drafted guard Ben Cleveland in the third round. Cleveland projects as a potential day one starter and is a depth piece at worst.

Year-Over-Year Improvement

The narrative that Lamar Jackson is a poor passer is without much backing. Lamar operates out of a run-first offense, making him a low-volume passer. Equating Jackson’s lack of opportunity with a lack of talent is a disservice to his game. During the 2019 season, Jackson’s MVP campaign, he threw at a league-average/above-average level in terms of playerprofiler’s accuracy metrics. Jackson finished with a 70.9 true completion percentage and a 75.8 clean pocket completion percentage, both ranking within the top fifteen in the league. In 2020, Jackson finished with 74.9 and 76.9 in those identical metrics, suggesting that Lamar is in fact getting better as a thrower. For all we know, the best is yet to come.

Dynamic Passing Offense

Lamar will not have to shoulder the same load that he has done in previous years. The Baltimore front office made significant investments to overhaul their passing game. While Baltimore has previously invested in size-speed specimens or deep threats, they focused on acquiring route-running specialists with yac or contested-catch skills this offseason. The Ravens drafted Minnesota wide receiver Rashod Bateman with the 27th pick in the draft and selected Tylan Wallace in the fourth round. The Ravens also signed Sammy Watkins, but the two rookie wideouts are the main cause for optimism. Wallace dominated for years at Oklahoma State and will give Lamar a separator on the outside. Bateman can win from anywhere on the field, and he boasts sub 4.40 speed. The new-look Ravens’ offense could transform into a more balanced attack, and Lamar Jackson could be the main beneficiary. 

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