By Adam Filadelfo (@Frostt24)
Heading over to the AFC North, the Baltimore Ravens had a disappointing
season after winning the Super Bowl just the previous season. Guess the
curse of the Super Bowl winner struck again! Looking to bounce back in
2014, the Ravens made a couple of additions that may end up being
fantasy relevant. Let's take a look.
Joe Flacco- It's clearly obvious that Joe Flacco is a better NFL
quarterback than fantasy quarterback. At best, Flacco is a backup
fantasy quarterback. He finished 2013 with over 4,000 passing yards and
had more interceptions than touchdowns (19 touchdowns to 22
interceptions if you're curious). Flacco ended the season with 236
fantasy points and goes into 2014 as a backup quarterback in fantasy
drafts.
Ray Rice- My how the mighty have fallen. Considered a first round pick
in fantasy drafts just last season, fantasy owners may think twice
before drafting Ray Rice with an early first round pick this time
around. Running backs are a top priority in fantasy owners minds and Ray
Rice did not perform well enough in 2013 to be considered a top running
back that should be drafted as one of the first backs off the board. Of
course, he can just as easily have a bounce back 2014 as he did a
disappointing 2013 but Bernard Pierce may have done just enough to split
time with Rice making the former Rutgers star's value drop a bit this
season. Rice finished the season with 122 fantasy points in the 15 games
he played but averaged single digit fantasy points in most of them. Not
acceptable from a back drafted in the first round of fantasy drafts. He
was a little more useful in PPR formats with his 58 catches for 321
yards but still not enough all around from a back that was drafted as
high as he was.
Bernard Pierce- Pierce could end up splitting more time with Ray Rice in
2014 due to Rice slipping last season and Pierce showing that he can
handle more work. Pierce did not have a great season himself but then
again, neither did Ray Rice. The difference is Rice has the track record
and Pierce doesn't. Pierce could be worth grabbing later in fantasy
drafts as insurance for Rice owners but I wouldn't expect too much from
him either way. Pierce finished with 501 rushing yards and three
touchdowns and under 80 fantasy points overall.
Owen Daniels- Coming from the Texans, Daniels is one of the offseason
additions the Ravens made. I think fantasy owners at this point know
what to expect from Owen Daniels and that isn't too much. When healthy,
he can be a productive tight end but that's the problem. He is almost
never healthy for long periods of time. With Owen Daniels and Dennis
Pitta both in Baltimore now, the tight end position may take a hit in
fantasy football but Daniels is almost sure to miss time and I don't see
him contributing very much to fantasy rosters this season. With Houston
last season, Daniels played in six games and averaged under eight
fantasy points per game.
Dennis Pitta- Pitta missed most of the 2013 season with an injury he
sustained before the regular season even began. He played in the Ravens
final four games of the regular season and provided a little boost to
fantasy owners over that time. Pitta averaged five catches per game over
that span (20 receptions over his last four games total) but only
finished with one touchdown which was a little disappointing. Looking
like he's healthy heading into this season, Pitta will be a top tight
end option in fantasy drafts.
Marlon Brown- Marlon Brown was a surprise to fantasy owners in 2013. He managed
51 receptions for 530 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games. While
Brown wasn't consistent enough for fantasy owners, his seven touchdowns
were enough to keep him on fantasy radars for the 2014 season. Brown
could see a decline in red zone targets with Pitta back but is still
worth a late look in drafts.
Steve Smith- Coming over from Carolina, Smith is another addition to the
Ravens offense in 2014. Steve Smith was a highly productive receiver
for many years in the Panthers organization and saw a reemergence when
Cam Newton came to town. In a new offense for the first time in his NFL
career, Steve Smith may have seen his better days as a top target and
fantasy receiver. Knowing that Smith can still get by defenders and
Flacco can throw a deep ball with the best of them, Smith could very
well have a decent fantasy season in 2014. He is coming off of 64
catches for 745 yards and four touchdowns just last season and with
defenses game planning for Torrey Smith, Steve Smith could reap the
benefits. But don't be surprised if Steve Smith falls off a little more
in Baltimore.
Torrey Smith- Torrey was the only Ravens player consistent for fantasy
owners last season. His 70 receptions for over 1200 yards and four
touchdowns were more or less the only bright spot for the Ravens in
2013. He was also the only Ravens player worth drafting in fantasy
football last season as it turned out. Heading into 2014, Torrey Smith
will once again be the top target for Joe Flacco and fantasy owners
should expect more of the same from the former Maryland product.
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