Zay Flowers Out vs Saints Week 2

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Zay Flowers is out for Sunday's home game against the New Orleans Saints after the club downgraded him from doubtful to out on Saturday with a left hamstring injury. Flowers aggravated the hamstring in the season-opening 41-23 win at Indianapolis, where he piled up 5 catches for 150 yards and a touchdown before exiting. He missed Wednesday and Thursday practice, returned as a limited participant Friday, and was listed as doubtful before Baltimore scratched him Saturday.

It is the fourth game Flowers will miss in his four-year career and his first since the 2024 AFC divisional round at Buffalo. Over the past 18 games he has 91 catches for 1,361 yards, while the rest of Baltimore's wideouts combined for 55 catches and 814 yards in that same stretch. With Ja'Kobi Lane already on injured reserve with a wrist injury, the Ravens are without two of their top three receivers.

Bateman and the next names

Rashod Bateman becomes the wideout with the most familiarity with Lamar Jackson. The healthy room behind him includes LaJohntay Wester, Devontez Walker, Elijah Sarratt, and Chris Moore. Coach Jesse Minter told those receivers earlier in the week to run at the opportunity and stay precise, because the ball can go anywhere in this offense. That is the fan translation: Bateman is the first read most desks will circle, and the rookies and depth pieces have to win snaps on detail, not vibes.

Baltimore's defensive board is thin too. Teddye Buchanan (knee), Nnamdi Madubuike (neck), and T.J. Tampa (knee) are out, with Tampa landing on injured reserve Saturday. The club signed practice-squad linebacker Carl Jones to the 53 and elevated tackle Gerad Lichtenhan, a hint that left tackle Ronnie Stanley (toe, questionable) could be a game-time call.

Fantasy boards already had Flowers as a boom-or-bust WR1 after the 150-yard half. Stamp him out. Jackson remains a QB1, but the volume map shifts toward Bateman and the tight end room until Flowers clears the hamstring. Do not invent a new alpha out of thin air. Wait for the inactive list, then set the lineup.

1 p.m. at M&T

Kickoff is 1 p.m. ET Sunday at M&T Bank Stadium. Flowers is already scratched. Stanley's toe is the last offensive watch item before the inactive list.

Doubtful Friday. Out Saturday. Saints at 1. That is Baltimore's Week 2 board.