Baltimore Ravens Fantasy Football News | Shark Bites

Ravens TE Charlie Kolar will undergo sports-hernia surgery early next week, HC John Harbaugh said. That figures to threaten the rookie's availability for the start of the season. Kolar, of course, is unlikely to be a 2022 fantasy asset. He's just a dynasty stash.

Bears LB Roquan Smith has reported to training camp, despite a report that he planned to hold out. The team has placed him on the physically unable to perform list, however, and we have yet to see a specified injury. Smith is in the final year of his rookie contract and seeking an extension, but it doesn't sound like the 2 sides have been close. We'll see where this apparent "hold in" goes.

NFL Network's Ian Rapoport reports that Bears LB Roquan Smith plans to hold out at the start of training camp. Smith is heading into the final year of his rookie contract and reportedly "has not yet received an offer he would remotely consider" on an extension. We're not adjusting our IDP projections on this but will certainly be watching Smith's status during camp.

Titans beat writer Ben Arthur writes that it’s “fair to wonder how dominant” RB Derrick Henry will remain in 2022. Henry, 28, suffered a broken foot around mid-season last year and missed 9 games. He’s back to 100%, but the potential for decline is clear. Tennessee can save $12.5 million against the cap by releasing Henry in 2023. Per Arthur, rookie 4th-round RB Hassan Haskins is the likely successor.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson has packed on about 15 pounds this offseason and looks noticeably bigger in the upper body. "I just wanted to do it, see how it looks and see how it feels," Jackson said. "And I feel good." We'll see if Jackson decides to play the season at the 220 pounds he's currently at. It'd probably help his mobility while hopefully not sapping him of any speed.

QB Lamar Jackson shared that he’s hopeful he can reach a long-term deal with the Ravens by training camp. “I'm not going to say 'yeah' right now,” Jackson said regarding a potential agreement. “Hopefully. But it's God's timing.” Talks are ongoing — and remember that Jackson is negotiating a new contract without an agent. Ultimately, Jackson's contract situation isn't a reason to value him differently in 2022 drafts. He's a clear-cut top-5 fantasy passer.

Per beat writer Jeff Zrebiec, the Ravens believe WR Rashod Bateman is “ready to break out.” That’s clearly not a stretch, as Baltimore just dealt Marquise Brown after using a Round 1 pick on Bateman in the 2021 draft. Zrebiec adds, however, that the Ravens will “likely” add a veteran WR “at some point.” We’d bet against any available veteran significantly altering Bateman’s 2022 role. But there are some intriguing names still available, most notably Julio Jones and Will Fuller.

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson reported to mandatory minicamp on Monday. This was always the expectation, but Jackson, 25, remains without a long-term extension. According to PFT’s Myles Simmons, Jackson “has not yet engaged the club in meaningful contract talks.” Note that the QB is representing himself in contract negotiations.

The Ravens on Tuesday announced a contract agreement with CB Kyle Fuller. The 30-year-old starting 10 games with the Broncos last season but saw his playing time dwindle late in the year. He spent nearly all of the previous 6 seasons starting for the Bears. Fuller should compete for the 3rd corner spot in Baltimore this summer, which can be a fantasy-relevant role for deeper IDP leagues.

NFL Network’s Bucky Brooks considers Ravens WR Rashod Bateman a top breakout candidate for the 2022 season. Brooks calls the 2nd-year man a “nice fit” in the offense, adding that he can reach “8 to 10 targets” per game. We don’t disagree on the premise. But the latter point is perhaps a stretch; 8 targets per game adds up to 136 over a full season. Only 11 WRs hit that mark in 2021. Beyond that, the Ravens — minus Marquise Brown — simply don’t project for fantasy-friendly pass volume. For fantasy purposes, Bateman’s best drafted as a WR3 with upside.

Titans beat writer Ben Arthur writes that rookie RB Hassan Haskins “could eat into some of [Derrick Henry’s] snaps on early downs.” Haskins, a 4th round pick, brings a power back skill set to the pros. Tennessee’s rarely had a dependable #2 alongside Derrick Henry, although D’Onta Foreman turned out to be a pleasant surprise in 2021. He’s now in Carolina, leaving Dontrell Hilliard as Haskins’ main competition. Recall that Henry, 28, underwent foot surgery in early November. He returned for the Divisional Round but wasn't close to 100%. While Henry still projects as a top-8 fantasy RB, the risk here is clear.

WR Nelson Agholor said he’s feeling more comfortable entering year 2 as a Patriot. “Whereas a year ago, I was learning, so you do things at a certain learning tempo,” Agholor said. “You never get to go full speed, because you want to make sure you're doing it right, so you kind of move with caution. Now I know what it looks like and I get to just put my flavor on it.” The veteran signed a 2 year deal worth $22 million last March but posted only 37-473-3 on a 12.2% target share. With the Pats adding DeVante Parker and 2nd-round rookie Tyquan Thornton, odds are Agholor will remain off the fantasy radar.

The Ravens selected TE Isaiah Likely out of Coastal Carolina with the 139th overall pick of the 2022 NFL Draft – 11 picks after adding TE Charlie Kolar. Likely jumped right in to tie for the team lead in TD catches as a true freshman. His biggest season came as a 2021 senior, when he claimed 24.3% target share and delivered a 59-912-12 receiving line. Likely ran a little slow (24th-percentile speed score for the position) but otherwise tested well. He’ll likely need further development before making an impact, but there’s long-term receiving upside.

Iowa State TE Charlie Kolar went to the Ravens in the 4th round of the NFL Draft. Kolar enjoyed a highly productive college career that found him a finalist for the John Mackey Award each of the past 2 seasons. The 6’7, 252-pounder averaged 4.4 receptions, 42 yards and 0.6 TDs per game over the past 3 years. He then delivered an 87th-percentile speed score and tested out well athletically. Kolar looks more like a “move” TE than a blocker, which should be good for his fantasy upside. Don’t be surprised if his career starts slowly, though. He’ll, of course, open his career behind Mark Andrews in Baltimore.

The Ravens selected EDGE David Ojabo in Round 2 of the NFL Draft. Ojabo brings top-shelf athleticism for the position and posted 11 sacks in his final college season. Ojabo likely would have gone in Round 1 if he hadn't torn an Achilles' tendon at Michigan's pro day. That figures to turn him into a value pick in dynasty rookie drafts with IDPs.

The Ravens picked S Kyle Hamilton with the 14th pick of the 2022 NFL Draft. Lauded for his versatility, Hamilton sported some cross-category production in college. That included 8 INTs and 16 passes defense through his 3 seasons at Notre Dame. We'll see exactly how he fits into a Baltimore defense that returns S Chuck Clark and added S Marcus Williams in free agency. That might mean it takes a year before Hamilton finds a starting-level role. But there's intriguing upside.

Ravens WR Rashod Bateman is striking an optimistic tone following a tough rookie season. "I do feel comfortable," Bateman said this past week. "The NFL was a big mental step for me. Just being here now I feel way more comfortable, way more relaxed. I know what to expect. I know how to move. I'm just excited for Year 2. I'm excited to be healthy. I'm excited to do the things I know I can do.” Bateman missed 5 early-season games following offseason groin surgery, his first missed games ever as a football player. Now healthy, the hope is that a year 2 breakout is around the corner. That might be tough if Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews stay healthy, but at only 22, Bateman remains an enticing dynasty asset. He cracks WR3 range in our Dynasty Rankings.

WR Laquon Treadwell re-signed with the Jaguars. The former 1st-rounder had 1 of his better stretches as a pro over the 2nd half of last season, averaging 4.4 catches and 57.9 yards across the final 7 games. It doesn't look like he drew much interest on the open market, though, and returns to a Jaguars team that previously added WRs Christian Kirk and Zay Jones to Marvin Jones, Laviska Shenault and Jamal Agnew. We'll see how the WR room shakes out this summer, but Treadwell isn't a recommended target in early best-ball drafts.

The Ravens have agreed to a 5-year, $70 million deal with S Marcus Williams, according to multiple reports. Williams will get $37 million guaranteed. Williams takes over the FS spot in Baltimore and leaves a significant hole in New Orleans' secondary. He's not a strong IDP option.

The Saints are placing a 2nd-round restricted free-agent tender on WR/KR Deonte Harty, according to NFL Network's Tom Pelissero. The former Deonte Harris legally changed his last name to Harty in December in honor of his stepfather. Pelissero says Harty could still draw some interest on the market, though we'd be surprised to see another team surrender a 2nd-round pick just to sign the 24-year-old. Last season marked the 1st time that Harty has collected more targets than returns. His 59 looks ranked 3rd among Saints last year, despite Harty losing 3 games to a suspension.