How to handle Marquise Brown injury in Week 2 fantasy football

The Baltimore Ravens listed wide receiver Marquise Brown as questionable with a hip injury on the final injury report this week and he did not practice this Friday. Still, it’s mostly a formality for the rookie — he will play this week against the Cardinals.

Last week, Brown was a bit of an unknown. The first-round pick spent the offseason recovering from foot surgery and didn’t practice much ahead of the Ravens’ game against the Dolphins. We urged caution and that was a HUGE mistake. Brown finished the game with two touchdowns and 147 yards.

What’s even more amazing about those numbers is that Brown played in fewer than 20 percent of the team’s total offensive snaps, part of which had a lot to do with the blowout.

Baltimore has another easy matchup this week and there’s no reason to think Brown won’t thrive again. However, with an actual game on film, teams will now be sure to have a safety deep and a defensive back or two covering Brown. That may be an issue when the Ravens start facing better teams, but not this week, not against the Cardinals.

Fantasy Implication: Things may not always be this easy for the Ravens, but it’s clear Brown’s speed is going to play a big role in the offense. Start him with confidence this week.