The Lamar Jackson injury has garnered understandable headlines in Baltimore this week, but the team might be in even more trouble on defense. The Ravens have ruled LB Roquan Smith, CB Marlon Humphrey, and CB Chidobe Awuzie out for the game. They're already missing DL Nnamdi Madubuike (IR for a neck injury). And some other key defenders look for-real questionable for Sunday's game against the Texans.
S Kyle Hamilton is officially questionable for the game, and his practice week trended poorly. He followed a limited Wednesday by missing Thursday and Friday with his groin injury.
We'll see what else comes out on Hamilton ahead of the game. He looks like a high-risk IDP even if active, though. I've knocked he star safety well down the Week 5 DB rankings.
Edge Odafe Oweh looks similar ... but also different.
He's one of the seemingly few Ravens who emerged from the Chiefs loss not injured. But then Oweh picked up an eye injury in Thursday's practice, sat out Friday, and popped up as questionable for the game.
Where he differs from Hamilton is that Oweh's injury should be a simpler up-or-down for the game. If he's active, I wouldn't worry too much about him aggravating that eye while playing. (Of course he could take another shot to it, but that's possible for anyone.)
Oweh's generally a low-impact IDP option but would carry some upside in this matchup. I'll upgrade him if we hear he's expected to play.
Baltimore at least will have Edge Kyle Van Noy and CB Nate Wiggins. Van Noy missed the past two games with a hamstring injury but graduated to full practices Thursday and Friday and carries no game designation. He got a boost in the Week 5 DL rankings.
Wiggins left last week's game with an elbow injury and missed practice Wednesday. But he progressed to a limited Thursday and full Friday and also carries no game designation. Wiggins isn't much of an IDP factor.
LB Teddye Buchanan could be. He should lead the corps in playing time with Smith out, and the rookie combines good speed with a cross-category scoring profile from his final college season.
Buchanan's an intriguing LB3-level play for Week 5.
The CB injuries seem likely to force Baltimore to play Jaire Alexander, which they voluntarily elected not to do the past three weeks. He's been a weak IDP play throughout his career.
The rash of injuries has pushed the Baltimore defense outside the top 12 of our Week 5 DST rankings.
Frankly, the only thing keeping the Ravens as high as they are (14th by our default scoring) is the putridity of Houston's offense so far this season.
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