NFL Offense Rankings | Ravens Are Ready to Rise

by Joel Ybarra · Analytics & Advanced Metrics

Lamar Got His Bag

The Ravens’ offseason in 2022 has been dominated by a single story: Lamar Jackson‘s contract negotiations. It has been a lengthy saga: Lamar’s refusal to sign an agent, a non-exclusive franchise tag offer, the rest of the NFL’s refusal to pursue one of the league’s premier QBs. In the biggest news of draft week, however, the discourse changed. Lamar got his deal and is now the highest paid player in the NFL. He and Ravens’ execs can now shift their focus to on-field matters. This is a big reason why the Ravens will rising up the NFL Offense Rankings in 2023.

Baltimore is putting the pieces together for one of the most dramatic transformations of an offense in recent memory. With new offensive coordinator Todd Monken on board, the offense is going to be shifting away from Greg Roman’s tight end-heavy ground and pound approach to a balanced attack with a stellar flock of pass-catchers and an imposing run game.

Coaching/System

Previous offensive coordinator Greg Roman stepped down after last season. Baltimore has been a perennially run-oriented, heavy personnel team under Roman. This Athletic article by Jeff Zrebiec reports the Ravens were a top three run game every year under Roman, but bottom six in passing every year but one (2019, Lamar’s MVP season). Todd Monken is the new OC in Baltimore. Monken’s background is in Air Raid offenses. He wants to throw.

Most recently, Monken was the offensive coordinator of a powerful Georgia offense that won back-to-back national championships. Monken got the best out of a mediocre college QB in Stetson Bennett. Brooks Austin reports the Bulldog offense improved in yards per play each year Monken was there – going from 6.21 yards per play in 2020 to 6.98 in 2021 and 7.7 in 2022. The Georgia offense also averaged 40.7 points per game last season.

The last time we saw Monken in the NFL was in 2019 when he spent one season as the Browns’ OC. Baker Mayfield had a career-high in passing yards that season, and Odell Beckham, Jr. recorded his last 1,000 yard receiving season. Monken reunites with Beckham Jr. in Baltimore. Before his stint in Cleveland, Monken put together 2018’s top passing offense and No. 3 overall offense in Tampa Bay, per Zrebiec. That Buccaneer offense produced three top-30 fantasy receivers: Mike Evans, Chris Godwin and Adam Humphries. Monken now joins forces with Jackson, by far the best quarterback he has had in the recent past. Jackson already won an MVP under Roman with Marquise Brown as his alpha receiver. Jackson will now be at the helm of a pass-balanced approach with a vastly upgraded wide receiver room.

Quarterback

Lamar’s value has been questioned this offseason. He failed to draw interest from NFL teams likely seeking to avoid the terms of his projected contract. Fantasy gamers are scared off by Lamar’s injury history, as well. Lamar played only 12 games the last two seasons. He has also been held back from reaching his passing ceiling, but that can be explained by the poor receiving talent around him.

The Ravens were relying on Rashod Bateman as their only wide receiver talent in 2022 after trading Marquise Brown. When Bateman was on the field, Lamar succeeded. In the only three contests when Bateman played more than 60-percent of snaps, Lamar threw for three, three, and four touchdowns and averaged 34.8 fantasy points per game. When Bateman went down injured, however, Lamar’s top receivers were Demarcus Robinson, Devin Duvernay and James Proche.

Despite the poor receiving unit around him last season, Lamar was performing at levels which mirrored his 2019 MVP season. He recorded a 100.7 (No. 2) True Passer Rating. He was also No. 16 in Estimated Points Added (EPA) with 68.1 EPA in just twelve games. Now that Lamar has gotten his bag and a room full of receiver talent, he is poised to electrify the league once again. He is entering his sixth season in the league and is only 26 years old. He is a former MVP who will now be throwing to the best receiver corps of his career.

Tooling Up

Not only did Lamar negotiate a big money contract for himself, he has also been vocal about getting receiver talent on board. Accordingly, the Ravens signed Odell Beckham, Jr. to a one-year, $15 million deal. 2021 first round pick Bateman will return healthy in 2023. We have yet to see him fully healthy for a significant portion of a season with Lamar, but Bateman has provided some splash plays when he has been on the field.

The Ravens also added Zay Flowers in the first round of the NFL Draft, at pick No. 22 overall. Baltimore now has one of the most talented receiver rooms in the league.

J.K. Dobbins’ stock has also been depressed as he spent last season recovering from injury. Get ready, though: even at less than 100-percent last season, he was still one of the most elusive backs in the league. He was second in the league in Juke Rate (43.4-percent), behind only Breece Hall. Dobbins was also No. 4 in True Yards Per Carry (5.2) and No. 3 in Breakaway Run Rate (10.9-percent). This was while opposing defenses were selling out to stop the run – Dobbins faced the highest Stacked Front Carry Rate in the league at 35.9-percent. Opposing defenses will have to account for a souped up passing offense in 2023. With Dobbins at full health and the most elusive of all mobile QBs in Jackson also in the backfield, the Ravens’ run game is going to manufacture breakaway runs and touchdowns at a momentous rate.

Offensive Line

The Ravens’ offensive line is typically a strength of the team. The unit performed admirably in 2022, but ended up bottom third in adjusted sack rate (8.1-percent, No. 23), per Football Outsiders. They did not perform much better in the run, with a stuffed run rate of 18-percent (No. 23) and 65-percent in power (No. 19). The waning performance may have been due partly to the injury of veteran tackle Ronnie Stanley. Stanley should return healthy for 2023.

With not much draft capital to spend in the 2023 draft, the Ravens did not add to their o-line until the sixth and seventh rounds. The Ravens have sufficient depth at tackle. They have veterans Stanley and Morgan Moses, Patrick Mekari, and 6-8 390-pound tackle Daniel Faalele, who they acquired in last year’s draft. The Ravens also have one of the best young centers in the league in Tyler Linderbaum, who was drafted in the first round in 2022. They could stand to upgrade the interior offensive line, but veteran Kevin Zeitler is signed through 2023 and young talents like Ben Cleveland will take steps forward in the coming season.

Best NFL Offenses – Ascending Assets to Acquire

Lamar Jackson

Previous to Lamar signing his deal, both Jalen Hurts and Justin Fields were being taken ahead of him in Underdog drafts. Lamar is more motivated than ever with a new contract, however. And he links up with the best set of skill position players he has had in his career. Fantasy gamers know the upgraded passing attack combined with Lamar’s rushing ability make him a top tier QB. Lamar’s ADP is now surging. His ceiling is another MVP-caliber season and top five of QBs in fantasy.

J.K. Dobbins

The Ravens did not add depth to their running back room in the offseason. And they showed the propensity to give Dobbins the rock last season, even while he was still clearly hobbled. He was dominating touches when he returned the lineup in Week 14 of 2022. On the wings of an ascending offense, Dobbins’ touchdown upside is immense. Somehow he is still going in the fifth round or later in best ball drafts. At full health, Dobbins will easily be a top 12 running back in fantasy scoring in 2023. His upside is top six in this offense.

Odell Beckham, Rashod Bateman, Zay Flowers

The Ravens’ receiving corps is the most upgraded unit in all of football entering 2023. A healthy Bateman, Beckham Jr. and Flowers are all three considerable upgrades over the best Ravens’ top receiver from 2022, Demarcus Robinson. The ambiguity in this receiving trio means they are each very acquirable. They are all being drafted in late rounds (7 or 8) in Underdog drafts. Each has opportunity to lead the group in fantasy production and return ridiculous value on that investment.

Best NFL Offenses – Rise Up #RavensFlock

The Ravens are prepared to take flight in 2023. There are still doubts the offense will be highly productive, but the Ravens’ moves in the offseason indicate otherwise.

Lamar is signed and intent on building toward a Super Bowl. Monken is going to open up the passing offense. The receiver corps is now flush with superior talent. This Ravens flock is ready to rise.