The Baltimore Ravens are sweating in Rio de Janeiro, and it’s all thanks to Zay Flowers. The dynamic wideout is officially listed as questionable for their Week 3 clash against the Dallas Cowboys because of a hamstring injury, casting a huge shadow over an offense that desperately needs his spark. This isn’t just some nagging ache, either. This is the guy who went absolutely nuclear in Week 1, and now his availability is a total mystery.
Flowers’ Hamstring Has the Ravens Holding Their Breath
This whole situation started in Week 1, when Flowers suffered the hamstring injury during their win over the Indianapolis Colts. That forced him to sit out Week 2’s game against the New Orleans Saints, and now here we are, facing another week of uncertainty. The practice reports? Not exactly reassuring. Flowers was a complete no-show on Wednesday and Thursday. He finally got in a “limited” session on Friday, which, let’s be real, is better than nothing but still screams caution. Head coach Jesse Minter did throw a bone, mentioning Flowers among the players who “have a real opportunity to maybe help us in the game,” but that’s a far cry from a full green light. ESPN reports the team is going to test that hamstring pregame. Talk about a nail-biter.
Remember Week 1? Yeah, So Does Baltimore.
Why is this such a massive deal? Because before that hamstring snagged him in the season opener against Indy, Flowers was on fire in first-year offensive coordinator Declan Doyle’s system. He hauled in five of his six targets from Lamar Jackson for an insane 150 yards and a touchdown. That 150 yards receiving was a new career high for the 26-year-old, showing exactly the kind of game-breaking talent he brings to the table. If he somehow suits up, even on a pitch count, he’d be facing a Cowboys defense that’s been generous, giving up the fourth-most yards per game in the NFL this season at 391.5. That’s a juicy matchup going begging if he can’t go full throttle, or worse, if he’s sidelined entirely.
Late Kickoff, Big Decisions
Adding to the chaos, this international showdown from Brazil doesn’t kick off until 4:25 p.m. ET. That’s brutal because it means we won’t get a definitive status update on Flowers until well into the early slate of games. Fantasy football managers are going to be tearing their hair out, trying to make decisions about their lineups without the full picture. CBS Sports fantasy experts aren’t even ranking Flowers for Week 3 because of this injury cloud. Meanwhile, fellow Ravens wideout Rashod Bateman is sitting at WR20 in PPR leagues and WR21 in standard, which tells you everything about the uncertainty.
So, for now, all eyes are on that pregame test. Will Zay Flowers be out there, even if it’s limited, ready to try and ignite that offense, or will Baltimore be without their explosive playmaker for another critical game? The Ravens’ Week 3 hopes might just depend on that hamstring.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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