One of the last games of the Week 12 slate is an exciting one in "real life" and for fantasy football. Below you can read our Sunday Night Football matchups analysis article for the Ravens vs. Chargers game to help make any fantasy lineup decisions for both season-long and DFS.
The Ravens are looking to stay atop the AFC standings with a win in Los Angeles, while the Chargers are desperate for a victory in hopes of staying in the Wild Card race. Hopefully, the tips in this article will put you on the path to winning your fantasy matchups in Week 12.
Read our fantasy football breakdowns for these games -- the recommended starts, sits, and matchups we love heading into the Week 12 matchups. Good luck RotoBallers!
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
Baltimore Ravens at Los Angeles Chargers
Spread: Ravens -3.5
Implied Total: Ravens (25.75) vs. Chargers (22.25)
Pace: Ravens (30th) vs. Chargers (3rd)
Ravens Off. DVOA: 26.6% Pass (8th), 26.0% Rush (1st)
Chargers Off. DVOA: 34.2% Pass (5th), -13.9% Rush (24th)
Ravens Def. DVOA: -26.8% Pass (2nd), -16.7% Rush (7th)
Chargers Def. DVOA: 19.8% Pass (26th), -2.41% Rush (26th)
Matchups We Love
Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL)
The law of averages came to fruition with Jackson, who broke his streak of great NFL performances that didn't translate for fantasy. They dominated the Bengals, especially after Joe Burrow got hurt. Unfortunately, they suffered their own significant loss in Mark Andrews. It does take away Jackson's No. 1 weapon, but the way he's playing combined with the matchup will enable him to be great again this week.
Gus Edwards and Keaton Mitchell (RB, BAL)
Gus Edwards scoring a touchdown is a fabulous bet these days. He's racked up nine in their past five games, which is absurd. While that pace is unsustainable, scoring against the Chargers is a realistic possibility. It also helps that they lost Joey Bosa, the leader of their defense.
Keaton Mitchell has officially surpassed Justice Hill as No. 2 on the depth chart. He had nine touches last week. The volume is lower but his big-play potential is off the charts. He has four breakaway runs (15-plus yards) on 20 attempts, which is 20% of his carries. He's an exciting flex option.
Matchups We Hate
Chargers Tight Ends
Donald Parham Jr. took advantage of Gerald Everett missing last week's game, hauling in four passes for 57 yards. If Everett (back) were to miss again, Parham would become an intriguing streamer because the receiving weapons are so limited.
Other Matchups
Justin Herbert (QB, LAC)
The failures of this franchise are saddening for Herbert. He did all he could, but his receivers let him down along with the defense. It was a fantastic matchup on the ground, prompting him to take the ball and run eight times for 73 yards. It's a bit unusual and likely matchup-driven, but it was nice to see him use his legs. The Ravens are a challenging matchup and his weapons just can't keep them afloat. He drops to the back end of the top 12.
Austin Ekeler (RB, LAC)
Those rushing attempts hurt Ekeler's overall volume, leading to just 12 touches. He was efficient averaging 5.8 yards per touch. Unfortunately, he too has the deal with Baltimore's defense that ranks 10th in EPA per rush allowed and seventh in run defense DVOA. The hope is that we see a vintage performance as a receiver.
Keenan Allen (WR, LAC)
Allen keeps crushing it because he's the only show in town. Last week he earned 16 targets, which was a league-high. Despite the tougher matchup, he's of course in your lineup. After that, it's a mess. Quentin Johnston dropped what would have been a huge catch down the sideline possibly for a touchdown, but there's no one else to look to, so he's worth a dart throw as a boom-bust flex option.
Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr. (WR, BAL)
Losing Andrews opens the door for someone to emerge. Zay Flowers started the year well when Andrews was out, so he's the preferred choice. That being said, Odell Beckham Jr. has been playing really well as of late, so he's also worth a look.
Nelson Agholor and Rashod Bateman are the deep threats, but they're really only desperation plays. It's a good matchup, so Flowers moves into the top 36 with Beckham not far behind. It's worth noting that Flowers and Beckham Jr. are both questionable to suit up.
Isaiah Likely (TE, BAL)
The primary motivation for starting Likely this week is his talent and historical production without Andrews. In three games without Andrews in 2022, Likely had stat lines of 6-77-1, 1-24-1, and 8-103-0. It didn't translate to Week 1 this year where he had just one catch for four yards but we know the upside is there as a streamer.
Notable Injuries
Joshua Palmer (knee)
Gerald Everett (chest)
Mark Andrews (ankle, leg)
Odell Beckham Jr. (shoulder)
Zay Flowers (hip)
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