Mark Andrews or Zay Flowers: Who Should You Start?

2026 Week 3 · deterministic head-to-head · Verdicts based on PPR scoring.

Andrews' role stability balances Flowers' higher-upside, hamstring-clouded case

Andrews brings the steadier role: his established TE1 usage and red-zone mismatch offset Flowers' greater receiving upside. Flowers is Baltimore's primary target, but his limited one-game usage sample and questionable tag make that upside harder to bank on; he returned to practice Friday after missing earlier sessions [baltimoreravens.com 2026-09-25] [baltimoreravens.com 2026-09-23]. With both in the same strong scoring environment, the choice turns on whether you trust Flowers' health or Andrews' more demonstrated workload.

What flips it: Flowers is cleared for a normal workload after his Friday return to practice.

Sources: baltimoreravens.com · Sep 25, 2026 · baltimoreravens.com · Sep 23, 2026

AI editor

Mark Andrews

Mark Andrews

TE15BALvs DAL

Projected Points

Start· medium
Zay Flowers

Zay Flowers

WR16BALvs DAL

Projected Points

Start

Mark Andrews’s market

REC
O/U 4.5
+127 / -163
Receptions Props →
REC YDS
O/U 38.5
-114 / -110
Receiving Yards Props →
ATD
Anytime TD
+120
Anytime Touchdown Props →

Zay Flowers’s market

ATD
Anytime TD
+130
Anytime Touchdown Props →
BAL@
DALSun, Sep 27, 4:25 PM ETView the game →
BAL@
DALSun, Sep 27, 4:25 PM ETView the game →

Why Mark Andrews

Start· medium

TE1 and red-zone mismatch. Veteran seam-stretcher with strong hands and quarterback rapport.

25% target share and 72% snaps in a 27.0-point implied offense make Andrews a viable TE1 fringe start at TE15 despite a neutral DAL matchup.

  • Andrews' red-zone mismatch gives him a touchdown path even if his receiving yardage is modest.
  • His established TE1 role offers a steadier workload than Flowers' one-game sample.

The call

  • Usage is the driver: a 25% target share over 2 games is elite for a tight end, and his 72% snap share locks him into the base role.
  • Game environment helps. A 27.0 implied team total with a -2.5 spread points to a competitive, scoring-friendly script with red-zone chances.
  • The matchup is neutral at best. DAL ranks 21 of 32 in the DvP composite, but that rests on a 2-game sample with 0.00 confidence, so it shouldn't move the call much either way.
  • Risk: the 10.2 projection and TE15 rank put him in streamer territory, and the 2-game usage sample could regress. He still clears a typical replacement TE, and no injury designation removes availability concerns.

Why Zay Flowers

Start

WR1 and primary target. Twitchy separator with YAC ability, alignment versatility and jet-sweep usage.

Start — every-week WR start at consensus WR16: 27.0 implied team total, 23% target share.

  • Flowers' separator skills and YAC ability can turn routine targets into bigger gains.
  • Jet-sweep usage and alignment versatility give him ways to contribute beyond standard routes.

Latest on Flowers

Status

Zay Flowers returned to practice Friday while rehabbing a hamstring injury.

Zay Flowers Returns to Practice Before Ravens-Cowboysbaltimoreravens.com · Sep 25, 2026
Status

Zay Flowers is still not practicing ahead of the Ravens' flight to Rio.

Zay Flowers Still Not Practicing Before Ravens Fly to Riobaltimoreravens.com · Sep 24, 2026
Status

Zay Flowers is not practicing to start the week while dealing with a hamstring injury.

Zay Flowers Not Practicing to Start Cowboys Weekbaltimoreravens.com · Sep 23, 2026
Ravens' Zay Flowers downgraded to out because of hamstring injury

The Baltimore Ravens downgraded Pro Bowl wide receiver Zay Flowers to out for Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints.

ESPN · Sep 19, 2026
Zay Flowers Ruled Out vs. Saints

Cornerback T.J. Tampa has been placed on injured reserve. Offensive tackle Gerad Lichtenhan has been elevated from the practice squad.

baltimoreravens.com · Sep 19, 2026
Ravens' Zay Flowers doubtful vs. Saints; Nnamdi Madubuike out

Ravens receiver Zay Flowers is doubtful for Sunday's game vs. the Saints after he aggravated a left hamstring injury and missed the majority of practices this week.

ESPN · Sep 18, 2026

Reported by the sources listed — not independently verified.

Head-to-head stats

MetricMark AndrewsZay Flowers
Projected points
Consensus rankTE15WR16
Opponent vs positionDAL · 21 of 322-game sampleDAL · 17 of 322-game sample
Receptions21 of 3217 of 32
Receiving Yards19 of 3211 of 32
Receiving TDs26 of 3215 of 32
Targets11 of 3225 of 32
Anytime TD26 of 3215 of 32
Target share25%23%
Reception share26%26%
Implied total · spread27.0-2.527.0-2.5
Depth chartTE1WR1
Snap share72%29%
Injury designation—questionable
Start/Sit record1–1—

Recent form

Mark Andrews — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs NO
Week 1vs IND

Zay Flowers — last 2 weeks

Week 2vs NO
Week 1vs IND

Signal breakdown

  • 10.2 vs 15.6 projected PPR pointsZay Flowers +
  • Rank 15 vs 16Mark Andrews +
  • Opponent DvP rank 21 vs 17 (32 = softest)even
  • Implied 27.0 vs 27.0 team pointseven
  • no designation vs questionableMark Andrews +
  • 72% vs 29% snap shareMark Andrews +

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