Baltimore’s wide receiver group took another hit this week, and Zay Flowers is right in the middle of it.
Flowers re-aggravated a hamstring injury in Week 1, and after hauling in five catches for a career-high 150 yards and a touchdown, he missed practice on Wednesday, Sept. 16. He’s now listed as questionable for Week 2, leaving his status very much up in the air as the Ravens get ready for their home opener against the New Orleans Saints.
That’s a tough development for Lamar Jackson and an offense that had already started to lean on Flowers early. He led Baltimore’s receivers with six targets in Week 1 before the injury forced him out of the mix. On Monday, Sept. 14, coach Jesse Minter called him “day-to-day.”
The timing matters even more because Baltimore is already thin at the position. Rookie wide receiver Ja'Kobi Lane is on Injured Reserve after suffering a wrist injury that required surgery, and Devontez Walker was already dealing with a groin injury that kept him out of Week 1. That leaves Rashod Bateman as the top healthy wide receiver on the roster heading into Week 2.
The current wide receiver depth chart reflects just how patched together the group is:
Zay Flowers (hamstring)
Rashod Bateman
Ja'Kobi Lane (IR - wrist)
Devontez Walker (groin)
Chris Moore
Elijah Sarratt
LaJohntay Wester
Gage Larvadain
Walker and Elijah Sarratt could be in line for bigger roles if Flowers can’t go. Sarratt was a healthy scratch against the Colts, but with Lane on IR, he’s likely to make his first NFL appearance. Minter said on Sept. 14 that there’s “potential” the Ravens could add receivers because of the injuries, and he also pointed to the reps Walker and Sarratt have already taken in the offense.
“Tez Walker and [Elijah] Sarratt - I have a lot of confidence in those guys. They've had a ton of reps in this offense.
Tez was dealing with something minor this past week, so we sort of pushed him. Those two guys have a real opportunity to get themselves in rhythm,” Minter said.
“And then we'll look at all options to figure out what's best for the 70 guys that we have available, as you talk about the 53 and practice squad.”
The roster has already shifted a bit in response. Chris Moore was signed from the practice squad, and Gage Larvadain was signed to the practice squad on Sept.
- For now, though, the biggest question is still Flowers, who appears to be a true toss-up for Sunday after opening the week with a DNP.
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