Injury Impact: Zay Flowers Looks Unlikely To Play In Week 3, Opening The Door For A Fantasy Football Sleeper

It's not looking great for Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers playing this week. The team is playing it safe with their wideout, who has been sidelined since exiting Week 1 with a hamstring injury. After not practicing on Wednesday, it's looking doubtful that he will play in Week 3.

The Ravens are being careful with Zay Flowers’ hamstring injury, per @RapSheet

“Did not practice yesterday, that does not bode well for his participation on Sunday.” pic.twitter.com/WnFlWP41Ua
— SleeperNFL (@SleeperNFL) September 24, 2026

Baltimore plays the Dallas Cowboys in Brazil this week, and the Ravens are set to fly to Rio De Janeiro tonight. We could find out tonight whether Flowers is going to be inactive if he doesn't fly with the team to South America. However, flying with the team does not guarantee that he will suit up on Sunday.

Fantasy Impact

WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens

If Flowers is unable to play or even get a legitimate practice in this week, we will then have to start looking forward to Week 4. When it comes to hamstrings, they can linger. While the Ravens are right to play it safe with their top wideout, that doesn't make it any easier for fantasy owners to deal with right now.

WR Rashod Bateman, Baltimore Ravens

With Flowers out in Week 2, Bateman saw his snaps jump all the way up to 93%. He also went from one target that he failed to catch in Week 1 to catching seven of nine targets for 88 yards and a touchdown in Week 2. Bateman was clearly the biggest beneficiary of Flowers' absence.

There wasn't another wide receiver on the team who caught more than one pass last week. There is a chance that one of them steps up this week, but we have been given no reason to believe that will happen.

TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens

Andrews has seen more targets than anyone on the team, with Flowers being limited to just one half so far this season. Through two games, Andrews has caught 10 of 13 targets for 98 yards. He is a viable starting tight end option with Flowers out and should be viewed as a low-end TE1.

QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens

Even without Flowers, Jackson should be considered a high-end QB1. The best he has looked this season was the first half of Week 1 when Flowers exploded, but he is still great without him and too talented to bench.

Last week, Jackson threw for 235 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, while rushing for 34 yards. Don't overthink this; he should be in your lineup.

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