The Baltimore Ravens have come a long way over the last three years at wide receiver. After failed draft experiments and short-term success in free agency, Baltimore completely gutted their wide receiver corps and began building one from scratch. Even though things are going well and this is arguably the best unit the Ravens have had over the last five years, it still isn’t great compared to the rest of the league, according to Pro Football Focus, who ranked Baltimore as the eighth-worst in the NFL.
That’s a bit of a shock considering Marquise Brown performed well last season and is finally healthy as he enters his second season. If his offseason workouts are anything to go by, Brown should cement himself as a true No. 1 receiver in 2020. Though, to their credit, PFF agrees with the idea.
However, they critique the group behind Brown, saying the Ravens don’t have a No. 2 receiver figured out yet. While that’s true, Baltimore also hasn’t relied on their wide receivers to fill specific spots like many other teams, instead picking and choosing which player will get highlighted based on their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses. Though that inconsistent production isn’t great for fantasy football owners, it worked well enough for the Ravens given their league-leading touchdown passes last season.
Still, it’s a group that might be getting underrated here, even individually. Miles Boykin is primed for a breakout year of his own with the Ravens seemingly having enough confidence in him to man the outside possession role. Willie Snead and Devin Duvernay have proven to be playmakers from the slot, with Duvernay having breakaway speed with the ball in his hands. If PFF were to factor in tight end Mark Andrews, it’s an even more effective and explosive unit, even if there’s no designated second-best receiver.
Baltimore’s wide receiver depth chart is far from perfect and there’s more hope than actual production from the unit. However, it’s a unit that is on the cusp of something special when paired with MVP quarterback Lamar Jackson. Though I can understand why they’re ranked so poorly, it’s also the perfect recipe for fans to be pleasantly surprised when they excel in their individual roles this season.
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