The Baltimore Ravens fell 28-27 to the Oakland Raiders on Sunday, but it was a good day for any fantasy football owners who started running back Terrance West or wideout Steve Smith Sr.
As a team, the Ravens gained 412 yards, with West and Smith among the biggest beneficiaries of the offensive outburst. Wide receiver Mike Wallace had a solid Week 4 as well, although he may have fallen short of some owners’ expectations.
Below is a brief fantasy outlook for the three players.
Terrance West
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh benched Justin Forsett for the game, and West’s performance more than justified the decision. The question going forward is whether West’s workload from Sunday will continue over the rest of the season.
Sarah Ellison of the team’s official site thought he has earned it:
If he’s still available on the waiver wire in your league, consider adding West. Finding a good running back in the middle of the year isn’t easy, and West may be in line to get the majority of Baltimore’s rushing attempts for the foreseeable future.
Keep your expectations in check, though. Before Sunday, West averaged 3.8 yards a carry in 25 career games. Still, he’s worth a flex spot in your lineup.
Steve Smith Sr.
Smith had a good game on Sunday, but he doesn’t have a high fantasy ceiling. He’s 37 years old and coming off a major Achilles injury.
As evidenced by his Week 4 output, Smith is still capable of having a big game.
According to Football Outsiders, the Raiders had the 28th-best pass defense in the league coming into this week. Oakland was also allowing a league-worst 340 yards a game through the air. Unless Baltimore can schedule the Raiders every week, 100-yard games will come few and far between for Smith.
The five-time Pro Bowler should get enough targets to continue warranting at least a place on your bench. When the right matchup comes along, he could be a low-end WR2 or flex option.
Mike Wallace
Although Wallace’s numbers from Sunday were lower than Smith’s, he still has more fantasy value in the weeks ahead.
The 30-year-old has fallen back to earth a bit after recording seven receptions, 132 yards and three touchdowns in the first two weeks of the year. It’s another example of why reading too much into the first few weeks can be dangerous.
Wallace has big-play potential. He’s averaging 15 yards a reception—his highest figure since his Pro Bowl season in 2011.
Wallace will likely find a middle ground between his first two games and his last two games. As is the case with Smith, monitor the Ravens’ matchups to see when Wallace is likely to do the most damage.
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