If your fantasy league plays on to Week 18 or you are simply looking to build DFS lineups, you have come to the right place. Below you can read our matchups analysis article for the Browns vs. Ravens game to help make any fantasy lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS.
The Ravens are massive favorites over the Browns, and a victory would give them the AFC North title and a home game in the AFC Wild Card Round. Meanwhile, Cleveland is just playing for pride at this point in the season. Hopefully, the game becomes more entertaining than expected.
Read our fantasy football breakdowns for these games -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into the Week 18 matchups. Below, you'll see the fantasy football outlooks for key players like Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, D'Onta Foreman, Jerry Jeudy, Mark Andrews, and more.
Be sure to check all of our fantasy football rankings for 2024:- Quarterback fantasy football rankings
- Running back fantasy football rankings
- Wide receiver fantasy football rankings
- Tight end fantasy football rankings
- Kicker fantasy football rankings
- FLEX fantasy football rankings
- Defense (D/ST) fantasy football rankings
- Superflex fantasy football rankings
- IDP fantasy football rankings
- Dynasty fantasy football rankings
Cleveland Browns at Baltimore Ravens
Spread: Ravens 17.5
Matchups We Love
Ravens WRs
Both Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman have great matchups in Week 18 against the Browns. Cleveland has allowed the fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wideouts this season, and Flowers torched this secondary for 115 yards back in Week 8. So, the second-year wideout will come in as a high-end WR3 after totaling double figures in PPR formats in five of the past six games. Bateman will be a flex play in 14-plus team leagues.
Franchise first 📈 @ZayFlowers pic.twitter.com/hBfeozmy5m
— Baltimore Ravens (@Ravens) January 2, 2025
Matchups We Hate
In his two starts this season, Dorian Thompson-Robinson has scored 9.1 fantasy points and 4.8 fantasy points. Now, he'll go up against a Ravens defense that has allowed the fewest fantasy points to quarterbacks over the past month. So, Thompson-Robinson should be avoided in almost all leagues in Week 18.
Update: Bailey Zappe is expected to start for the Browns in Week 18. However, Thompson-Robinson will see some snaps as well. So, both quarterbacks should likely be avoided in fantasy.
All Cleveland running backs should be avoided in this game. Opposing running backs are averaging only 3.45 yards per carry against this Baltimore run defense this year.
Other Matchups
With the Ravens playing for a division title in Week 18, Lamar Jackson will continue to be a must-start quarterback option this weekend. Jackson is currently the QB1 of the year and has scored over 21 fantasy points in five straight games. He'll now face a Browns defense that just allowed 52 rush yards and one touchdown on the ground to Tyler Huntley last week.
The Browns have done a solid job against running backs in fantasy this year. Cleveland has given up the fourth-fewest fantasy points to opposing running backs while allowing only 3.97 yards on the ground this season. However, fantasy managers are still starting Derrick Henry as a strong RB1 option in Week 18. Henry has 1,783 rush yards and 14 rush touchdowns through 17 weeks.
DERRICK FREAKIN' HENRY!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/xhYv0apEQu
— NFL (@NFL) September 30, 2024
WR Jerry Jeudy
It was quite a shock to see Jerry Jeudy total 12 catches for 94 yards last week with Dorian Thompson-Robinson under center. But that performance should give fantasy managers some hope in Week 18 against the Ravens. Although Baltimore has allowed the seventh-fewest fantasy points per game over the past month, Jeudy can be a solid flex play in most leagues this weekend. His 18 targets last week were a career-high.
TE Mark Andrews
Mark Andrews has been a touchdown machine for fantasy managers this season, as the veteran has tied his career-high with 10 receiving touchdowns. Although Andrews has caught two passes or fewer in three of the past six games, he has scored in double figures in PPR formats in five of those contests. So, he'll continue to be a solid TE1 option in Week 18 against the Browns.
Notable Fantasy-Relevant Injuries
- David Njoku (knee)
- Cedric Tillman (concussion)
- Jerome Ford (ankle)
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