Mark Andrews Injury Concerns? Fantasy Managers Left Confused After Isaiah Likely Overshadows His Teammate

When it comes to injuries this preseason, Mark Andrews’ situation might have been the weirdest of the lot. The Baltimore Ravens reported in August that Andrews had been involved in a car accident but that he was fine. However, Andrews was held out of practice for a couple of weeks as he dealt with any lingering effects of the incident.

After a complete no-show during the first half of the Chiefs vs. Ravens game, fantasy managers have been left wondering what is going on with the Baltimore tight end. What is the latest update, and should fantasy managers be all-in on Andrews for 2024?

Was Mark Andrews Injured on Thursday Night Football?

Update 09/05/2024: Baltimore Ravens tight end Mark Andrews was a question mark to play in Thursday’s NFL season opener because of an injury suffered in a car accident last month. However, he practiced all week in full and had no status entering the game.

Andrews was able to get on the field in the first half against the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, but from a fantasy standpoint, his production was basically non-existent. He finished with two receptions for 14 yards from two targets.

Andrews, who had 45 receptions for 544 yards and six touchdowns in only 10 games last season, was targeted just once in the first half, catching a nine-yard pass from Lamar Jackson. Alas, that reception was wiped out by a Ravens penalty, leaving Andrews with zero stats in the first half.

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On the flip side, Baltimore’s other tight end, Isaiah Likely, was one of Jackson’s favorite targets in the first half, with four receptions for 38 yards.

As anyone who has ever been in a car accident — even a minor one — will tell you, the aftermath can be fairly jarring.

Both mentally and physically, the incident can take its toll for a few days or even weeks afterward, with soreness and discomfort often being the main concerns of a minor incident. While we have not officially been told as much, that was likely the case with Andrews.

The Ravens made it clear throughout that Andrews would be fine for the season, and he returned to practice last Friday ahead of Labor Day.

Should Fantasy Managers be Concerned About Mark Andrews?

There is no sugarcoating things; this was not pretty for Andrews or his fantasy managers. The positive from the evening is that Andrews played on more than 70% of the Ravens’ offensive snaps, suggesting there were no major injury concerns for managers.

Of those 53 snaps, 40 were passing plays, and Andrews ran 38 routes on them. That should immediately dismiss any concerns that Andrews was primarily being used as a blocker in the passing game. For reference, Likely played 52 snaps overall, 38 on passing plays, and ran routes on 35.

Those numbers tell us that Andrews is still a part of this passing offense. However, what is tougher to figure out is whether Likely has usurped him in the hierarchy in terms of targets. Andrews is always likely to draw more attention from opposing defenses because of his pedigree as a weapon in this offense. That will leave Likely seeing a lesser coverage player, presenting more opportunities to make plays.

I am not pushing the eject button on Andrews as a fantasy asset at this point. There is a chance this was a one-off game plan specific to the Chiefs. However, this could also be an evening up of the tight-end looks within the offense, which will make fantasy output hard to judge. You could go and add Likely as insurance for Andrews, but the young tight end will be very popular on waivers this week.

For now, fantasy managers should hold tight on Andrews and consider a waiver bid on Likely as an insurance option. If we see this pattern repeat into Week 2, then managers will need to make plans to find another tight end. The problem is that there are not many consistent weapons at that position, so if you cannot add Likely this week, giving up on Andrews for another shot in the dark is risky.

– Ben Rolfe, Managing Editor