Zay Flowers Injury Update: Will Flowers Play for Ravens in Week 1?

With the preseason in the books, the Baltimore Ravens’ eyes are locked on the upcoming 2026 NFL regular season. As the team continues to prepare, however, it got a minor scare when star WR Zay Flowers didn’t practice on Monday.

Flowers, who signed a $140 million contract extension with the club this offseason, has emerged as the go-to target for superstar QB Lamar Jackson. Any time he misses is noteworthy, whether it be practice or otherwise. 

Given that the former first-round pick has already dealt with a quad contusion this summer, is there reason to worry about Flowers’ availability for Week 1?

Below, we’ll dive into the latest Zay Flowers injury update and outline its potential impact on Ravens fantasy football picks and player projections for PrizePicks. 

Make predictions for the 2026 NFL season on PrizePicks!

{{nfl_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}

Zay Flowers Injury Update: When Will Ravens WR Return From Lower Body Injury?

The good news for the Ravens is that Flowers’ lower body injury isn’t expected to linger for too much longer. Per Matt Zenitz of CBS Sports on Tuesday, the fourth-year man is tracking to participate in “full capacity” at practice next week. 

A return to normalcy at practice for Flowers would presumably set him up to play in Baltimore’s regular-season opener against the Indianapolis Colts. With there being almost two weeks to go before the bout on Sunday, September 13, this is all positive news for the Ravens faithful.

Flowers is coming off a true breakout year, posting career highs in targets (118), receptions (86), and receiving yards (1,211) and tying a personal best with 5 TDs. The former Boston College standout averaged 14+ yards per catch for the second straight year while raising his success rate to 59.3%. 

The connection between Jackson and Flowers is obvious; the multi-time MVP has posted a passer rating of 104 or higher in each season when throwing to the back-to-back Pro Bowler. That chemistry found a new level in 2025, when Flowers had a 112.6 rating when targeted and averaged 8.8 yards before contact per catch.

While Flowers may not be one of the top 10 players at his position, he was funneled the football like one a season ago. According to SumerSports, among all WRs with 250+ routes run, his 28.99% target share ranked exactly 10th. 

The Ravens’ prize from the 2023 NFL Draft is as important as ever with HC Jesse Minter returning to the organization in 2026. 

Zay Flowers Projections for 2026 NFL Season

PrizePicks has plenty of Zay Flowers projections on the NFLZSN board, including picks for receiving yards, TDs, and more.

Here are some popular Zay Flowers projections to consider for the 2026 NFL season:

• 999.5 Rec Yards
• 75.5 Recs
• 5.5 Rec TDs
• 54.5 Rush Yards
• 0.5 Rush TDs
• And More!

Zay Flowers Fantasy Football Outlook & Ravens’ Options If He Misses Time

Flowers is a marquee fantasy football name coming into the 2026-27 campaign, evidenced by where he’s going in redraft formats. Per FantasyPros, his real-time average draft position (ADP) in point-per-reception (PPR) leagues is 36th, good for WR17 overall. 

Naturally, any Flowers absence would force the Ravens into a bit of a panic, especially considering their collection of pass catchers. 

The rest of the depth chart at wideout and TE contains names like Rashod Bateman, Devontez Walker, rookie Ja’Kobi Lane, and veteran WR Mark Andrews. Bateman is one of the more intriguing players on that list, but he’s been in hot water off the field and isn’t nearly as reliable as Flowers on the gridiron. 

Behind Bateman’s 11.41% target share in 2025, Walker was in fourth place at just 2.97%. Future Hall of Fame man DeAndre Hopkins occupied third place (9.58%) but is no longer with the team. Despite playing in all 17 regular-season games for the second year in a row, Andrews’ production fell to 48 receptions, 422 yards, and 5 TDs on a 17.2% target rate.

The true beneficiary of any missed time for Flowers, ironically, would be RB Derrick Henry. Per nfelo, Baltimore stayed true to its roots by owning the league’s lowest pass rate over expected (-8.8%) in 2025. Henry showed no signs of slowing down, rushing for 16 TDs for the second consecutive campaign and amassing 1,745 scrimmage yards. 

A less potent passing attack, in theory, would mean the 32-year-old may have a chance to keep defying Father Time if Flowers’ health regressed. 

Lock in your NFL predictions on PrizePicks — featuring season-long player stats, awards, playoff qualifiers, and more!

{{nfl_offer_banner="/style-system/ui-components-playbook"}}

Make 2026 NFL Predictions and Picks on PrizePicks

The Ravens seem to be gearing up for WR Zay Flowers to be a full go by Week 1, which is a massive boost for a team with hopes to bounce back in 2026. As the ink dries on Flowers’ contract, he’s facing plenty of pressure to get and stay healthy for Baltimore and produce. 

Don’t wait until Week 1 — make your 2026 NFL picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.

Once games ramp back up, just pick NFL players, predict More or Less on their stats, and cash in if you’re right. With Team Picks, you can make predictions on NFL game winners, spreads, over/unders, and award futures, now available in 36 states.

Stay locked in on Playbook for daily NFL predictions, picks, and news every day all the way through Super Bowl LXI.