Flowers sidelined with left hamstring after Week 1 injury
The Baltimore Ravens will be without Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers for their Week 2 game against the New Orleans Saints after the team officially ruled him out with a left hamstring injury.
Flowers aggravated the hamstring in Baltimore’s season-opening win over the Indianapolis Colts, finishing the first half with five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown before exiting and not returning. He missed the remainder of that game and was limited in team activity during the week before the Ravens downgraded him to out on Saturday.
Coaching and medical staff cited caution in the decision to sit the team’s primary pass catcher, with Flowers unable to produce the timeline needed to be cleared for Sunday’s matchup.
Depth concerns magnified after early injuries and production numbers
Flowers’ absence leaves a significant void in the Ravens’ passing game. Over his last 18 games he has totaled 91 receptions for 1,361 yards, underscoring the consistency he’s provided as Baltimore’s top target. By comparison, the team’s other wide receivers combined for 55 catches and 814 yards over that same stretch.
The Ravens have also lost rookie receiver Ja’Kobi Lane to a wrist injury; Lane is on injured reserve, removing another option from Baltimore’s rotation and leaving the roster without two of its top three receivers for Week 2.
Over his past 18 games, Flowers has recorded 91 receptions for 1,361 yards, making him one of quarterback Lamar Jackson’s most dangerous weapons. In Week 1 against the Indianapolis Colts he had five catches for 150 yards and a touchdown in the first half, then aggravated a left hamstring and did not return; after being listed doubtful earlier in the week the Ravens later ruled him out for their next game.
Practices this week reflected the uncertain recovery timeline. Flowers missed Baltimore’s initial two sessions, returned in a limited capacity on Friday, but never progressed to full participation before the team made the decision to rule him out Saturday.
With Flowers unavailable, the Ravens will turn to their remaining receiving corps and schematic adjustments to compensate for the loss of their most productive and explosive pass-catcher. The team’s short-term plans at receiver will be tested Sunday, and the timeline for Flowers’ return will depend on how he responds in the coming days of rehabilitation and medical evaluation.
