The Baltimore Ravens fell victim to a furious rally from the Miami Dolphins in Week 2, and ended up shockingly losing a game in which they led by three touchdowns with just over 12 minutes left by a score of 42-38. Still, it's clear that the Ravens are in a good spot, and their offense is as lethal as ever, even with the stunning defeat at the front of Baltimore's mind.
The reason for continued optimism surrounding Baltimore is Lamar Jackson. If it weren't for the Dolphins comeback, everyone would be talking about Jackson's performance, in which he racked up 437 total yards and four touchdowns. Many folks were concerned about the Ravens offense after Jackson watched his top target in Marquise Brown get traded over the offseason, but early on, it looks like all is well in Baltimore.
Despite that, there are many folks who aren't buying into the Ravens supporting cast. That has allowed this solid wide receiver to emerge as one of the top fantasy football sleepers in the league heading into Week 3. Let's take a look at who this sleeper is and explore why he could end up becoming a shockingly valuable fantasy asset as the season progresses.
Ravens Week 3 fantasy football sleeper
WR Devin Duvernay
With Brown heading to the Arizona Cardinals, and no real replacements coming in, that meant that Rashod Bateman and Devin Duvernay would be taking over as Jackson's top options at wide receiver. So far, the duo have produced at quite a high level. And while many folks are high on Bateman, they are more skeptical regarding Duvernay, which means he's available in way more fantasy football leagues than he should be.
Duvernay opened his season with a strong four catch, 54 yard, two touchdown performance in Week 1 against the New York Jets. Duvernay was a bit more quiet against the Dolphins, as he only hauled in two passes for 42 yards, but he added a 103 yard kickoff return touchdown to his ledger, which helped make up for the lack of receiving output.
Duvernay has already had a large role in the Ravens offense to start the season, and that doesn't seem likely to change anytime soon. Bateman and tight end Mark Andrews are probably going to get more looks from Jackson, but they are also drawing more attention from opposing defenses. That frees Duvernay up to make big plays like he did in Week 1 against the Jets.
Duvernay has put together two strong fantasy outings to open the season, and it's surprising to see people fail to notice this. He's not going to return a kickoff for a touchdown every week, so it would be better to see him get more involved in the passing game, but it's hard to argue with the initial results from Duvernay.
You can make a case that Duvernay has become a bit touchdown dependent to open the season, which, in fairness, is true. But there's a decent chance that Baltimore's high-powered offense is going to continue to allow him to score touchdowns all season long. If Duvernay can get more involved in the passing game, though, watch out, because he could quickly become a WR2 option out of nowhere.
Realistically, Duvernay has played at that level to start the season, making him a strong sleeper pick if he's still available in your league (which he likely is). It may be worth holding him on your bench to see if he can continue to produce at a high level, but the Ravens have another favorable matchup on their hands in Week 3 against the New England Patriots, and they have some holes in their secondary that Duvernay could exploit.
It will probably be better to wait and see more from Duvernay before throwing him into the lineup on a weekly basis, but if you have a spot on your bench open for him, there aren't many reasons to not use it on Duvernay. He's proven to have a good rapport with Jackson early on, a nose for the end zone, and a big play ability that fantasy owners are always looking for. What's not to like with Duvernay right now?
There are probably safer options available in most leagues, but if you are looking for sleepers to snatch up, Duvernay is one of the best options available. His status as the second wide receiver in Baltimore's offense ensures he will see consistent playing time (even if his snap count has been a bit concerning early on) meaning his fantasy output should continue to stay at a high level. Duvernay is a bit of a risk now, but picking him up this week could benefit you greatly moving forward this season.
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