This article is part of our Showdown/Single Game DFS Breakdown series.
The season has mostly gone well for both the home-team Buccaneers (4-2) and the visiting Ravens (4-2), but one of them must fall to 4-3 following Monday night's matchup. The Ravens are generally considered the better team, and if that's true then they ought to be able to prove it in this game particularly because the Buccaneers are less than fully healthy. Wideout Mike Evans will play but is managing a hamstring injury, while the already-challenged Buccaneers corner rotation will have to play without Jamel Dean. The over/under is at 50.0, with the Ravens favored by 3.5 points.
QUARTERBACK
Lamar Jackson ($11000 DK, $17000 FD) is rarely an advisable fade on a single-game slate, and this game is no exception. The Tampa Bay defense is one of the worst in the league, even with star safety Antoine Winfield back in the fold. In this game the Buccaneers will give 40-plus snaps to at least two cornerbacks who shouldn't be on the field at all, which offsets some of the concern of the mediocre Baltimore wideout rotation. Sometimes Derrick Henry goes bonkers on the ground and in theory that would limit Jackson's fantasy upside if such were to occur in this game, but Jackson has run for 40 or more yards in every game this year.
Baker Mayfield ($9600 DK, $14500 FD) has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four of six games this year, and at least 289 yards in three of six games. The Ravens pass defense seems to
The season has mostly gone well for both the home-team Buccaneers (4-2) and the visiting Ravens (4-2), but one of them must fall to 4-3 following Monday night's matchup. The Ravens are generally considered the better team, and if that's true then they ought to be able to prove it in this game particularly because the Buccaneers are less than fully healthy. Wideout Mike Evans will play but is managing a hamstring injury, while the already-challenged Buccaneers corner rotation will have to play without Jamel Dean. The over/under is at 50.0, with the Ravens favored by 3.5 points.
QUARTERBACK
Lamar Jackson ($11000 DK, $17000 FD) is rarely an advisable fade on a single-game slate, and this game is no exception. The Tampa Bay defense is one of the worst in the league, even with star safety Antoine Winfield back in the fold. In this game the Buccaneers will give 40-plus snaps to at least two cornerbacks who shouldn't be on the field at all, which offsets some of the concern of the mediocre Baltimore wideout rotation. Sometimes Derrick Henry goes bonkers on the ground and in theory that would limit Jackson's fantasy upside if such were to occur in this game, but Jackson has run for 40 or more yards in every game this year.
Baker Mayfield ($9600 DK, $14500 FD) has thrown for multiple touchdowns in four of six games this year, and at least 289 yards in three of six games. The Ravens pass defense seems to have a bunch of good components but overall they have not been a strong pass defense to this point. It's concerning that Mike Evans (hamstring) was only able to log one limited practice all week, but if Evans can be close to his usual self then it's difficult to see why this would be a particularly difficult setting for Mayfield. The Ravens have allowed 11 passing touchdowns versus just three interceptions.
RUNNING BACK
Running back is a borderline impossible question for the Buccaneers in this game, as all of Rachaad White ($6600 DK, $10000 FD), Bucky Irving ($7000 DK, $10500 FD) and Sean Tucker ($4000 DK, $8000 FD) are candidates to see meaningful playing time. White is trying to work his way back from a foot injury, but if he plays he's clearly the most accomplished passing-down back of the three. Irving has momentum as a pure runner, but so does Tucker. The speculation here might be somewhat moot, as while the Ravens pass defense has struggled their run defense has been suffocating to this point in 2024, allowing 2.87 yards per carry to opposing running backs.
Derrick Henry ($10800 DK, $16500 FD) needs no introduction, but know that he's averaging over 100 rushing yards per game and has scored at least once every week so far. The Buccaneers run defense isn't what it used to be, and if Vita Vea is out then the Tampa defense will be in particularly rough shape. Justice Hill ($3800 DK, $7500 FD) plays a good number of snaps most weeks, but if he doesn't get going as a pass catcher he usually doesn't have much to do from scrimmage.
WIDE RECEIVER + TIGHT END
Zay Flowers ($8600 DK, $11500 FD) is a tough fade at the moment, because he's been heavily targeted in four out of six games and faces a Tampa Bay cornerback rotation that just isn't very good. Rashod Bateman ($6400 DK, $8000 FD) could also capitalize against this defense, though he doesn't get targeted nearly as much as Flowers (48 to 26). The tight ends are always a tough question for Baltimore, because all three of Mark Andrews ($4800 DK, $9000 FD), Isaiah Likely ($5200 DK, $9000 FD) and even Charlie Kolar ($1600 DK, $6500 FD) are all hyper-competent, though Kolar mostly functions as a blocking specialist. While Kolar is capable as a receiver the vast majority of opportunities go to Andrews and Likely, with Andrews the main downfield threat of the two and Likely seeing more work underneath. Nelson Agholor ($2800 DK, $6500 FD) probably isn't a bad punt play as the WR3, because he pops up occasionally and the matchup couldn't be more accommodating here.
Mike Evans ($10200 DK, $13000 FD) is arguably the toughest call on the slate, because while he will definitely play he was only able to log one limited practice all week. If Evans' hamstring holds him back here then it would really hurt the Buccaneers offense, though it would perhaps open up more target opportunities for peripheral pass catchers like TE1 Cade Otton ($4600 DK, $7500 FD) and backup wideouts Sterling Shepard ($3000 DK, $7000 FD) and Jalen McMillan ($2000 DK, $7000 FD). McMillan opened the season as the WR3 for Tampa, but Shepard has played well and might have forced his way into that role. Trey Palmer ($2400 DK, $7000 FD) might be a worthwhile punt play if he's active, but there's a risk he's the WR5 for Tampa at the moment. Regardless of what happens with Otton/Shepard/McMillan/Palmer in this game, Chris Godwin ($10400 DK, $12500 FD) will need a hefty target count if the Buccaneers want to win this.
KICKER
Justin Tucker ($5400 DK, $9500 FD) isn't what he used to be, but he has consecutive games of double-digit fantasy points and the Ravens would prefer to utilize him often if he can avoid misses going forward.
Chase McLaughlin ($5000 DK, $9500 FD) has gone over double-digit fantasy points in four of six games this year, and he quietly has been excellent for the last three seasons. McLaughlin has standout range from beyond 50 and he has made 40 of his last 42 field goal attempts.
DEFENSE/SPECIAL TEAMS
The Ravens ($4400 DK, $8500 FD) have a yearly standard of playing good defense but to this point in the year it has only shown on the ground. Perhaps their pass defense improves soon or even in this game, but the Tampa Bay passing game might be one of the best in the league.
The Buccaneers ($3400 DK, $8500 FD) are not an advisable pick here. They're not very good in general, but with their injuries thrown in it's just not obvious how these guys are supposed to get off the field, let alone make big plays.
