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Two weeks ago, Lamar Jackson was a game-time decision against the Packers. Now, we still are in a similar position as the team faces a make-or-break scenario playing the Rams.
If the Ravens lose, their season is essentially over, so I'm sure they'll want Jackson in the lineup. However, as he continues to nurse the ankle injury that he suffered against the Browns in Week 14, will they get their wish?
Let's take a look at the Ravens QB situation heading into Week 17. Is Lamar Jackson playing this week, or is he still injured? If not, should you start Tyler Huntley? Below we break it all down!
Is Lamar Jackson Playing This Week Against the Rams?
Lamar Jackson missed practice for the second straight day on Friday with his ankle injury, but is listed as questionable to play in Week 17 against the Los Angeles Rams. Jackson was limited in practice on Wednesday but was limping badly, leading to the team holding him out the rest of the week.
There's a slim chance that he plays this weekend, but fantasy managers should be expecting him to miss his third straight game. This is an update to the previous news and reports from earlier in the week which are below.
Lamar Jackson Injury Updates
After missing Week 16 with an ankle injury, Lamar Jackson is once again questionable to play in Week 17 against the Rams. Right now, it doesn't appear to be trending well for Jackson to make his return:
Jackson practiced on Wednesday, but was reportedly limping significantly. With him not practicing in back-to-back games, you'd assume he wouldn't play on Sunday. However, head coach John Harbaugh did not rule out the possibility of a return into the lineup for the star quarterback:
That being said, given the circumstances, I'd put those chances at a very slim possibility. It's likely we see Tyler Huntley, who has been activated from the COVID-19 list, back under center in Week 17, while it's becoming more and more likely we don't see Jackson again this season.
Should I Start Tyler Huntley In Week 17?
In Huntley's two games as the starting quarterback, he has finished as the QB18 and QB1, respectively. Nevertheless, I want to pay attention to his last game against the Packers. In that game, he ran the ball 13 times for 73 yards, had a rush attempt inside the five-yard line, and finished with an 81.5 PFF grade.
On the other hand, he averaged just 5.4 yards/pass attempt, and the Rams are a premier defense. It isn't going to be easy sledding for Huntley, but the rushing floor he provides is enough for him to serve as a low-end QB1; he had 36.8 PFF expected points in that Week 15 contest.
I worry about the struggles of players coming off the COVID-19 list, but as a backup plan to Jackson, it's hard to do much better. In a week filled with several QB injury and COVID situations, Tyler Huntley can be used as a streamer if you're in a tough spot.
With Huntley under center, I'd expect targets to be even more condensed to Mark Andrews and Marquise Brown. Andrews has a 30% target share in his two games with Huntley, while Brown had 14 targets in Week 15. However, I'd expect Brown to work a limited route tree. He had just a 4.4-yard average depth of target in that game against the Packers, and Huntley has struggled to push the ball down the field. Thus, his floor might be higher, but his ceiling is limited.
I'd still consider Brown to be a low-end WR2, while Andrews remains arguably the top fantasy tight end in the NFL right now. The Rams are a tough matchup, but these two are likely to be target hogs with the quarterback shift taking place.
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