Flowers (quad) returns to practice

This is great news. The Ravens’ No. 1 wide receiver should be good to go for fantasy football WR2 duties against the Colts on Sunday. Flowers should log another full session tomorrow, barring a setback. He told reporters yesterday that he is feeling “better than ever.” That now appears to be the case.

For the record, Flowers told reporters that he is feeling “great” earlier today, but opted not to disclose his injury details. Now we know he is dealing with a soft tissue issue. Flowers is on track to play, but as is always the case with hamstrings, his practice participation is worth tracking. Ideally, he is practicing fully by Friday and can be treated as a WR2 on game day.

Flowers was asked how he was feeling today while meeting with the press, with a beat reporter specifically asking Flowers about his quad. Flowers suffered a quad bruise early in training camp and missed time last week with an undisclosed injury. Now feeling “better than ever,” Flowers is seemingly on track to play in Week 1 against the Colts without issue.

Flowers suffered a quad bruise early in training camp but eventually returned to practice. He has been out of practice more recently with an undisclosed lower-body issue. His injuries have seemed relatively minor, and an appearance at practice today all but confirms that. Barring a setback, Flowers should be good to go as a high-end WR2 for Baltimore’s Week 1 opener versus the Colts.

Flowers has been a bit banged up in the latter portions of the offseason program, missing practices for two separate issues over the previous month. Even so, the team continues to assert he will be fine for Week 1. Fantasy managers will want to track his status over the coming two weeks.

Flowers apparently avoided significant injury but will reportedly miss a “couple days” with a quadricep contusion suffered in practice Saturday. Camp injuries are beginning to flood in but it appears as if Flowers will be okay following a couple of days off. Entering his fourth season, there is real optimism that Flowers will take another step forward under a new coaching staff, although a career 15.7 percent red zone target rate could keep him from becoming a true fantasy star. For now, treat Flowers as a solid fourth round selection in fantasy drafts that carries elite spike-week potential due to his downfield role.

The deal includes $108 million in guarantees, according to Schefter. It’s a big payday for Flowers as he enters his fourth NFL season as the Ravens’ clearcut No. 1 wideout. Flowers has 237 receptions for 3,128 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns since entering the league in 2023, working mostly as a slot guy in the run-heavy Baltimore offense. Ravens coach Jesse Minter said in late July that he looks forward to getting Flowers the ball “in as many ways as possible” in what could be a new-look offense under first-year OC Declan Doyle. Last season Flowers was targeted on a healthy 25 percent of his pass routes, ranking 19th out of 115 qualifying wideouts.

Per Minter, the Ravens’ coaching staff has “a great plan and vision for maximizing the best players.” He understandably counts Flowers among them. Flowers turns 26 in September. He cleared 1,000 receiving yards in each of the past two seasons, and posted career highs in target rate (24.4 percent) and yards per route run (2.53) last year. Flowers has also rushed for 56 yards or more in all three pro campaigns, while scoring on the ground one time in two-of-three. Ravens general manager Eric DeCosta said last week that he would “definitely” like to sign Flowers to an extension this summer. Flowers is a borderline WR1/2 this year.

Doyle, 30, has drawn high praise from everyone in the Ravens organization since being hired as OC this offseason. Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver has called Doyle “a human computer.” “It’s a different system than what I’m accustomed to being in, and I feel like there’s going to be a lot of explosiveness this year,” Jackson said. “The way Declan Doyle calls plays and his creativity with his mind — how detailed he is — it’s mind-blowing.” Doyle is widely expected to use Jackson under center more often in 2026. Jackson has been among the NFL’s most efficient passers when lined up under center over the past couple seasons. Doyle’s Baltimore offense could lift the statistical prospects of Zay Flowers and Mark Andrews, especially if the Ravens are a little more balanced this year.

As Schultz notes, this will pay Flowers $28 million in 2027, and that is fully guaranteed. Flowers was already likely to have this option picked up before 2025. His 86-1,211-5 receiving line last year, good for WR1 fantasy numbers, ensured that the Ravens would lock him up for another year. Assuming Lamar Jackson is healthy this year, the Ravens’ offense should have no issues returning to form. That is especially true with Ben Johnson protege Declan Doyle taking over play-calling duties in Baltimore. A lack of passing volume will likely prevent Flowers from drastically improving his counting stats once again, but he should sit comfortably on the WR1/2 border for 2026.