Kyle Hamilton

After being brought along slowly as a rookie, the Ravens gained trust in Hamilton in his second year as a pro. That translated to more starts and defensive snaps, and in turn, more production. Beyond the expanded role, Hamilton's deployment was also reimagined, as he was used more as a traditional safety and less in the box in support of the run defense. While perhaps that wasn't the best news for his fantasy value, Hamilton was able to display his prowess in coverage, tallying 13 passes defended and four interceptions while suffocating opposing quarterbacks with a passer rating of 48.4 when targeted. Even with a new defensive coordinator, there's little reason the Ravens should feel compelled to change Hamilton's role heading into 2024. That could lead to some relative inconsistency, but his playmaking ability will shine through several times during the season to deliver impactful fantasy production.

Hamilton was thrown into the fire as a rookie and after some early-season struggles, the 2022 first-rounder found his footing. He finished the season with 62 total tackles, 2.0 sacks and five pass breakups. He had a varied role with plenty of reps close to the line of scrimmage and at nickel while Chuck Clark and Marcus Williams (when healthy) took most of the snaps at the traditional safety spots. With Clark now gone, Hamilton stands to take on a larger role with more snaps at strong safety. He will likely still be used close to the line of scrimmage, too, as Baltimore will look to leverage his strong tackling ability in run support.

With the ability to line up at safety, slot corner and even linebacker in lighter formations, Hamilton could be to Chuck Clark and Marcus Williams what Xavier McKinney was to Logan Ryan and Jabrill Peppers with the Giants – the rare defender who plays a three-down role even as the third safety. The 14th overall pick is a major investment, and the Ravens wouldn’t have made it if they had any hesitation.