Fantasy Football Injury Impact: With Lamar Jackson Likely Out, Derrick Henry and Others Look To Fill The Void
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Lamar Jackson left Sunday’s game against the Tennessee Titans late in the first half with a lower left leg injury.
On Tuesday, NFL insider Ian Rapoport reported that Jackson sprained his ankle, giving “him only an outside chance to play Sunday against the Falcons.”
Furthermore, “Jackson could end up missing multiple games based on how rehab goes.”
With the two-time MVP likely sidelined for Week 5, and potentially beyond, the fantasy ripple effects could be significant for Ravens’ players.
QB Lamar Jackson, Baltimore Ravens
The injury occurred when Titans’ defensive end Jermaine Johnson sacked Jackson from behind on the final offensive play of the half.
Jackson gingerly walked off the field, and was seen leaving the arena in a boot, causing fans and fantasy managers to hold their collective breaths. Fortunately, the 29-year-old avoided disaster, with Rapoport stating that “the injury is not considered long-term or surgical.”
As the ninth-ranked fantasy quarterback, according to Fantasy Pros, Jackson’s production will certainly be missed. This season, he’s tossed for 967 yards, 6 touchdowns, and 1 interception on 70.8% completion. Even in limited play in Week 4, he went 15-20 with two scores.
Managers that rely on Jackson’s service should turn to temporary replacements, such as Kirk Cousins or C.J. Stroud (in one-QB leagues), in the week(s) ahead.
RB Derrick Henry, Baltimore Ravens
In 2026, Henry leads the NFL in both rushing attempts (89) and rushing touchdowns (seven) among running backs.
At a minimum, it makes sense for the Ravens to maintain his steady diet of carries in Week 5, with the likely scenario that they turn to him to carry an even more sizable portion of the offensive load.
The Ravens do take on the Atlanta Falcons, who boast the best run defense in the league, allowing a miniscule 48.3 yards per contest (roughly 30 yards less on average than the second best defense). The Ravens’ offensive line injuries should also play a factor.
Henry is of course worth starting given his numbers, but when he squares off against the formidable Falcons’ defense, something’s got to give.
QB Tyler Huntley, Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens’ struggled to produce after Jackson left Sunday's game. They mustered a measly 96 total offensive yards in the 2nd half, compared to 288 in the first half, and scored zero points.
With a big lead (24-7), the team played much more conservatively. Huntley stepped in and completed eight of his nine pass attempts, and rushed for 16 yards on four attempts—just enough to preserve the team's lead.
The Falcons have posted 80 points combined in the last two weeks, meaning that Huntley and the Ravens will need to be in attack mode. Fortunately, as impenetrable as Atlanta is against the run, they rank 30th in passing yards allowed per game.
Huntley is a limited downfield passer, averaging 5.9 yards per attempt for his career (for reference, Jackson is at 10.1 this season), but he gets the ball out of his hands efficiently with a mix of checkdowns, screens, slants, and curls.
If the Ravens keep his volume up, a very real possibility against the vulnerable Falcons' pass defense, he could snag valuable fantasy points. He's also a threat with his feet, scoring five career rushing touchdowns.
WR Zay Flowers, Baltimore Ravens
Flowers leads the NFL in yards after the catch with 166 total and 11.7 yards per reception…in only three games played.
His dynamic playmaking ability makes fantasy managers happy week-in and week-out, and he could definitely benefit from Huntley’s willingness to get the ball out quickly, turning smaller completions into big-gain plays.
Against Atlanta’s bottom-of-the-league pass defense, his feast may be waiting for him at the table.
That, combined with Huntley’s pass volume, will ultimately impact Flowers’ ability to maintain his elite fantasy production.
TE Mark Andrews, Baltimore Ravens
Three of Huntley’s career passing touchdowns were caught by Andrews. As a middle-of-the-field, short-yardage target, the tight end provides a reliable option for Huntley to turn to.
Andrews has been a good, not great, fantasy performer this season—middle of the pack for his position—but given his opponent and Huntley's tendencies, Week 5 could be a strong one for the three-time Pro Bowler.
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Macklin is a Brooklyn-based writer who’s covered the NBA, NFL, WWE, Disney Channel Original movies and everything in between. All of his wildest dreams came true the day Jalen Brunson led the New York Knicks to an NBA Championship.
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