Baltimore Ravens Rookie Report Card: Zay Flowers Making The Grade?

Zay Flowers has 45 catches for 472 yards and a touchdown for the Baltimore Ravens so far this season.
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The Baltimore Ravens offense has been clicking all season long.

The unit currently ranks sixth in the NFL in yards per game, and quarterback Lamar Jackson has even entered the MVP conversations. But a big reason behind Jackson's success has been the addition of Baltimore's first-round pick Zay Flowers, who has emerged as one of the top targets for the Ravens.

Bleacher Report graded each first-round pick through the first half of the season, and gave Flowers an A for his efforts.

Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers
Baltimore Ravens receiver Zay Flowers / USA Today Sports

"A sensational playmaker at a variety of depths, Zay Flowers has exceeded all expectations in year one," Bleacher Report writes. "Baltimore's leader in targets (60), receptions (45) and second to only tight end Mark Andrews in yards (472), he's been fantastic. You'd like to see his touchdown total increase (1) as the weeks churn on, but as the targets continue to come, Flowers has shown the ability to take advantage of every look he gets."

Flowers hasn't been a red zone target; that duty goes to tight end Mark Andrews and the running game. They are responsible for 18 of the team's 27 touchdowns so far this season. But Flowers still plays a key role in the offense as a top target in the middle of the field. Flowers leads the team in 20+ yard catches with eight, proving to be a big play threat every time he touches the field.

Flowers and the Ravens face off against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Kickoff is scheduled for 1 p.m. inside M&T Bank Stadium.


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Jeremy Brener
JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.