Lamar Jackson: close to 100 percent, expected back Sunday
THE FACT. Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson is believed to be close to 100 percent from the left high-ankle sprain that has cost him Baltimore's last three games, and is expected to play Sunday against the Bills, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport as relayed by RotoWire on Tuesday. The Ravens are expected to build up his practice reps Wednesday through Friday, and a clean week could let him reach the weekend without an injury designation. Tyler Huntley started the three games Jackson missed, with Baltimore going 1-2 in that stretch.
THE VERDICT. Redraft: start him the moment the Wednesday report confirms he is on the field. Jackson is a top-three fantasy quarterback when healthy and the ankle is the only thing that has kept him off rosters, so anyone who stashed him gets paid back immediately. Dynasty holders do nothing but exhale. DFS: he is a legitimate build-around play once Friday's practice report is clean, though the price will not be soft. Drop Huntley anywhere he was picked up as a bye-week patch.
Respect the call, but I'd slow down on the auto-start. Even before the ankle, Lamar was running a career-low 4.8 times a game this season, so the legs that make him a top-three fantasy QB were already dialed back, and the first week off a high ankle is not when that comes roaring back. He's also averaged 135.6 passing yards across five career meetings with Buffalo. That's a QB1 by reputation with a much shakier floor. In DFS I'm fading him at that price and building around Allen instead. First-game-back quarterbacks are where my chalk usually dies.