You can watch Thursday Night Football: Ravens vs. Chiefs at 8:20 p.m. ET/5:20 p.m. PT on NBC or stream on Peacock, Fubo, DirecTV, and NFL+.
That’s it. We’ve finally done it. After all the preparation for the fantasy football draft, the points finally count tonight. Week 1 is here! And what an opening matchup! Reigning MVP Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens take on reigning Super Bowl champion Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs.
Let’s hope for a fantasy fireworks display here.
More of the same from Derrick Henry?
The Henry-Ravens connection was too good, too perfect, to pass up. The same Ravens offense that led Gus Edwards to 13 touchdowns in 2023 is now getting one of the most dominant running backs of the last decade.
So you’re signing Henry up for three touchdowns in this game, right?
I’m very curious to see if Henry will be used again as the same bulldozer he was with the Titans, or if the Ravens will give him other options in the backfield (movement, read option, screen passes, etc.) against the Chiefs’ strong front line. Of course, Henry gets a key backup in Lamar Jackson, which presents a bit of a pick-your-poison problem for opposing defenses.
Do you load the box to prevent Henry from breaking into the second level? Do you use a spy to stop Lamar Jackson? Do you spread things out to prevent Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews from beating you down low?
It’s quite a conundrum. And it’s hard to find a truly negative or petty aspect for Henry, aside from the elephant in the room: Will Father Time finally catch up with him?
Regardless, his first game in his new team should be a clear statement.
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Will Travis Kelce be treated with kid gloves?
Travis Kelce was a second-round fantasy pick in 2023, and to the dismay of managers seeking that positional advantage, Kelce ended up missing opening night (and they had to watch the coming-out party of eventual TE1 Sam LaPorta).
Kelce returned to form when he returned to the field, but everything changed on Thanksgiving week. From then on, Kelce was strangely… quiet. He didn’t rush for more than 85 yards or score a touchdown in any week until the end of the regular season.
Of course, he would then have an absolute breakthrough in the postseason on his way to another ring.
The question now is will the Chiefs start Kelce’s “load management” even earlier this season, as Kelce soon turns 35. Will they risk him being pressured by the Ravens’ strong linebackers and safeties?
I’d be surprised if Kelce made many yards or catches in this game – but that’s not because he’s out or the Chiefs are trying to protect him. It’s because of the next thing I need to pay attention to…
Will Rashee Rice and/or Xavier Worthy set the tone for the season early?
Rashee Rice was a great, much-needed addition to the Chiefs in year one. While they didn’t exactly send him far on his routes, he was an efficient chain mover with serious YAC skills. He gave the Chiefs something the team hasn’t had since Tyreek Hill – a reliable wide receiver.
Now the Chiefs will pair Rice with speedy first-round pick Xavier Worthy, giving fantasy fans hope for another DeSean Jackson-Andy Reid connection. It might take a time machine to see that, but Jackson had back-to-back 100-yard rushes in the first two games of his professional career. While I don’t expect Worthy to put up an impressive catch number in this game, I do expect a 25-yard-plus catch to be possible at some point in those four quarters, especially with Hollywood Brown unable to play.
And don’t be surprised if Mahomes uses his two young wideouts early and often tonight, with Kelce being more of a third-down/red zone specialist.
Will Zay Flowers make a jump to sophomore year in Week 1?
Zay Flowers had moments of brilliance in his rookie season, showing strong route-running skills and giving the Ravens a much-needed deep threat, scoring five touchdowns in his final seven games of the 2023 season, including the postseason.
Of course, Flowers also made some serious mistakes last season that somewhat clouded his prospects.
Still, we know the talent is there. And we love his graduation through 2023, as well as the 108 targets he’s received. There’s no reason to believe Flowers isn’t the 1B next to Mark Andrews’ 1A in the Ravens’ target pecking order, and there’s no better time than Week 1 against the defending champs for the second-year receiver to build on his solid rookie season. Fantasy managers who took Flowers as a high-profile flex option should look for him to accumulate 5+ targets in Week 1 – if he can do that, even better things could be in store for him in 2024.
Are Samaje Perine’s fears really just that – fears?
Isiah Pacheco was drafted in the second round by most 12-team leagues. Basically, people probably drafted him as their high-potential RB1 or RB2 to pair with a first-round running back. So you could hear the collective groan of Pacheco executives reading the news of Samaje Perine’s addition to the Chiefs’ backfield. Perine has long been a third-down and passing specialist – an area where everyone hoped Pacheco would play a bigger role in 2024.
I am skeptical that Perine will significantly damage Pacheco’s season prospects.
Let’s not forget that Pacheco, 25, went on quite a rampage to end 2023, scoring seven touchdowns in his last 10 games. Oh, and he also caught 32 of 34 passes in those games.
This should be a close game between two AFC heavyweights, and if Pacheco is swapped for Perine in difficult passing situations during this game, it’s likely to be a worry (but it’s too early to panic).
