Which 2025 Ravens are Worthy of a Roster Spot in Fantasy Football?
There is no doubt that there are a handful of players on the Baltimore Ravens who will find themselves on fantasy teams nationwide. Lamar Jackson is one of the best dual-threat QBs in the entire NFL, ending the 2024 season as QB1 with over 420 fantasy points. Derrick Henry finished the season as RB2, only behind Saquon Barkley, who had a career revitalization in his first year in Philadelphia, nearly breaking the single-season rushing yards record. Despite his slow start in 2024, Mark Andrews still finished as TE6 in PPR leagues. While they will easily find themselves in the starting lineup of rosters everywhere, other skill position players on the Ravens may be roster-worthy as we get closer to the drafting season for fantasy football.
Isaiah Likely, Tight End
Week One of 2024 was the start of something special for Isaiah Likely. In an opening day matchup against the defending Super Bowl Champions in Kansas City, the Coastal Carolina alumni put up nine receptions for 111 yards and a touchdown. The touchdown was special in itself because of the stop-on-a-dime moves Likely put on the entire Chiefs secondary. Likely also had a game-tying touchdown but was called back for his toe being on the back line of the endzone, which would have put him over 30 points for the day. Likely was the biggest waiver wire pickup after Week One, but only produced three more games with 10+ fantasy points. All things considered, Likely has shown that he can be a starting TE for a team and is a viable draft selection to at least keep on one's bench. Improving every year in on-field skill and fantasy production, Likely finished 2024 as the TE16 with 42 receptions, 477 yards, and six touchdowns, behind Mark Andrews in all statistical categories. However, I still believe it is worth drafting Likely as a week-to-week TE that can be subbed into the starting lineup at any point of the season.
Justice Hill, Running Back
As long as Derrick Henry is suited up and ready to be the king, Justice Hill will never be ranked as an RB1. Even with my Ravens fan bias, Justice Hill will not find a roster spot in a standard 12-team league, but does warrant a second look in larger leagues with 14 or more teams. Hill finished 2024 as RB37, averaging three carries for 15.2 yards per game with about three receptions for 25.5 receiving yards in 15 games. In standard PPR leagues, that would be worth about seven PPG, with a chance for an additional six for a touchdown. To consistently hit seven or more points in a deeper league can be the push a team needs to win a matchup and make the playoffs. The 2019 fourth-round selection developed nicely over the years and has tremendous upside in Baltimore’s offense, always earning more than a third of offensive snaps. Hill will act as the definitive RB2 behind Derrick Henry, mostly on passing plays, but is a great option for a handcuff to Henry.
DeAndre Hopkins, Wide Receiver
DeAndre Hopkins is a hit-or-miss type of player, but I have high expectations for him in Todd Monken’s offense, led by Lamar Jackson. Being the WR3 behind Flowers and Bateman, Hopkins will still share a reasonable percentage of the snaps with Tylan Wallace or Devontez Walker, but the 33-year-old can still put up about eight or more points in a given game as the secondary will be more occupied with Jackson and Henry in the backfield, or Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, Andrews and Likely running routes downfield. Hopkins has not made the top 10 in WR fantasy scoring since his 2020 season in Arizona, but that is not the expectation. The idea is that Hopkins will play better than Nelson Agholor, who averaged one reception for 16.5 yards in 14 games for the Ravens in 2024. In 16 games for the Titans and Chiefs in 2024, Hopkins averaged about four receptions for 38 yards. I project Hopkins to repeat or surpass his 2024 production with the Ravens in 2025, with the chance to outperform Nelson Agholor’s best games as a Raven. Just like Hill, Hopkins is a deep league bench player due to the crazy amount of skill position players in Baltimore but can easily find himself being successful for a few games in his first season with the Ravens.
Honorable Mentions: Tylan Wallace (WR), Devontez Walker (WR), Keaton Mitchell (RB)
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention a few underdog sleepers that could step up hugely for the Ravens in 2025. Tylan Wallace, Devontez Walker, and Keaton Mitchell. Why would a fantasy football owner want these three guys on their team? Keaton Mitchell played in fewer than five games, Tylan Wallace had one game with more than six points, and Devontez Walker scored one touchdown all season. In deeper dynasty leagues with 20 to 32 teams, which do exist, these players may be the ones I would consider stashing.
Wallace had a walk-off punt return touchdown against the Rams in 2023 and an 84-yard catch and run touchdown against the in-division rival Bengals in 2024. His elusiveness and ability to stay in bounds are not in question, and he is earning the trust to earn snaps at receiver. He may not get six targets in a game, but when Wallace gets the ball, he makes it count. Not to mention, owners also get points for a special team touchdown, which Wallace has shown he is very capable of doing. Walker is another guy who may not get six targets in a game, but I was very high on him when he was selected in the fifth round of the 2024 NFL Draft. Walker’s only reception in 2024 was a 21-yard garbage time touchdown against the Giants, but he could prove to be a valuable depth piece and worthy of a bench spot in deeper leagues as he continues to develop his breakaway speed a ability to high-point a pass.
Lastly, Keaton Mitchell, who I believe is the strongest of the three underdogs I have mentioned. Mitchell did not get a handoff in Baltimore until the 2023 Week Nine home matchup versus the Seahawks, where he broke out for 138 yards and a touchdown on just nine carries. It earned him more playing time with Gus Edwards and Justice Hill. His breakaway speed helped him achieve more than six yards a carry in the six games before he tore his ACL, finishing the season with almost 400 yards on just under eight yards per carry. His injury occurred so late in 2023 that it cost him most of 2024, resulting in him being used as a kick returner and garbage time running back. I think now that Mitchell is fully healthy, he can be a big-play asset for the Ravens in 2025. Similarly to Wallace, Mitchell can double up his scoring opportunities as a kick returner, but his speed may be largely beneficial in the run game, where Henry is a bruiser and Hill is a pass catcher.
In conclusion, everyone is on the same page with Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, and Mark Andrews starting in at least 90% of rosters. Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman are locks on rosters but may need a little push to get into the starting lineup. Isaiah Likely should be on everyone’s roster since the tight end position has very few stars with top 10 potential. Depending on league type, size of your league or roster, and your drafting strategy, Justice Hill, Tylan Wallace, Devontez Walker, and Keaton Mitchell should be on rosters for the chance that they take their skill and production from previous years to grow into a monumental role in the weeks after the draft.
