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If you drafted Lamar Jackson onto your fantasy team, the chances are you were starting him this past Sunday when he scored 1.2 fantasy points for you. However, that was far from the only bad news surrounding Jackson; he left in the second quarter with an ankle injury that kept him out for the rest of the team's 24-22 loss to the Browns.
With the fantasy playoffs coming up, you'd love to count on Jackson, who you are almost certainly starting if healthy. However, is he healthy enough to play, and what does his potential absence mean for the rest of the Ravens? We'll answer all of that here.
Is Lamar Jackson Playing In Week 15 Against The Packers?
Lamar Jackson is dealing with an ankle injury, and most likely his playing status for Sunday is going down to the wire. However, with more news starting to roll in, it is starting to look like Jackson won't play Sunday against the Packers:
Lamar Jackson (ankle) DNP again; Ravens QB has "uphill battle" to play vs. Packers (per @MikeGarafolo)https://t.co/OgSd68AXOR pic.twitter.com/PBeOV7aEdD
— Around The NFL (@AroundTheNFL) December 16, 2021
The good news is that Jackson's ankle injury hasn't been described as a high-ankle sprain, which would have knocked him out for multiple games. However, with how important his mobility is to his skillset, it wouldn't be shocking to see the Ravens keep him out.
At the same time, they have just a one-game lead in the AFC North, and are at risk at losing that lead should they lose and the Bengals win. They will likely do everything in their power to give him a shot to play on Sunday, although it isn't looking great right now and fantasy managers should be making other backup plans. Be sure to check back for further injury updates, in case Jackson's injury status improves as we approach game time.
Should I Start Tyler Huntley If Lamar Jackson Sits?
If Jackson cannot play, Tyler Huntley will start in his place. So far this season, the 23-year-old is averaging 6.2 yards/pass attempt with just a 57.1 PFF passing grade; he's obviously a noticeable downgrade to Jackson.
In terms of fantasy, Huntley, who scrambled five times and ran for 45 yards in just one half against Cleveland last week, would have some value. The lack of passing efficiency and big-play ability (7.5-yard average depth of target) limits him to more of a QB2, but he wouldn't be the worst option to replace Jackson with.
Should I Be Concerned About Marquise Brown and Rashod Bateman?
As for the receivers, this certainly downgrades Marquise Brown, given Huntley's limitations throwing the ball down the field. While Huntley connected well with Rashod Bateman, it would also be a downgrade for him and tight end Mark Andrews. That being said, Huntley appeared to be comfortable targeting those two players in the intermediate passing game last week, so I'd expect them to have less of a drop-off than Brown.
I'd still start Marquise Brown, but he might be more of a low-end WR2 this week than a player with elite upside like he is with Lamar Jackson. Remember, this matchup against the Packers is a difficult one.
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