The injury issues for Mark Andrews continue to frustrate fantasy football managers heading into Week 9. As he deals with both shoulder and ankle injuries, the Baltimore Ravens tight end is at risk of missing the game this week when the Ravens take on the New Orleans Saints. Let’s examine the latest injury update for Andrews, his chances of playing in Week 9, and Isaiah Likely’s fantasy value this week if Andrews is out or limited.
What Is Mark Andrews’ Injury Situation in Week 9?
After leaving the Ravens’ Thursday Night Football game in Week 8, Andrews was absent from practice to open Week 9. As he deals with both injuries, it will be important to see how Andrews progresses. Last week, he was able to be active despite not practicing on the short week. However, he ended up playing just 10 snaps before leaving injured.
Impressively, Andrews was targeted five times on those 10 snaps. When he’s active, he will nearly always be a major part of the offense. However, with the question marks coming into this week, it would be brave for fantasy managers to wait until Monday night to start a player that is likely to be a game-time decision at best.
Should Fantasy Managers Trust Either Andrews or Isaiah Likely This Week?
While it’s hard to sit Andrews if he is healthy, the matchup this week is really tough. There is no team in the league that has allowed fewer fantasy points to the TE position than the Saints. They have allowed an average of just 4.86 fantasy points in half-PPR scoring to the position.
There has not been one game this year where the Saints have given up double-digit fantasy points to tight ends. The most points allowed by New Orleans this year was 9.5 fantasy points to the Seahawks’ group of tight ends in Week 5. Those fantasy points were spread between Noah Fant and Will Dissly, meaning no single TE has managed to score more than 6.5 fantasy points in a game against the Saints this year.
If Andrews were healthy, it would be tough not to start him. Despite having just 33 receiving yards from three receptions and seven targets in the past two weeks, he has 488 receiving yards from 42 receptions in his eight games this year.
He did struggle in the game against the Buffalo Bills, with just 15 receiving yards on two receptions. That proves he’s not completely matchup-proof, but even so, it would be hard not to start him if he were fully healthy.
MORE: Fantasy TE Streamers and Rankings Week 9
However, if he plays this week, Andrews would be heavily limited. Additionally, he would have a huge risk of re-injury. Therefore, when you combine that with the tough matchup against the Saints, it may be sensible for fantasy managers to look elsewhere this week.
If Andrews is out, Likely would become an intriguing option for fantasy managers. With Andrews hurt last week, Likely played 67% of the offensive snaps. He saw seven targets, which he turned into six receptions, 77 receiving yards, and a touchdown. That performance will have Likely as a tempting player as a streamer in season-long fantasy lineups or in daily fantasy lineups on Underdog Fantasy.
However, with the matchup against New Orleans being tough, this might be a time to fade Likely. Yet, with Rashod Bateman going on IR, the Ravens’ RBs struggling for health, and Andrews either out or limited, the Ravens’ options when it comes to their offense will be highly limited. Therefore, Likely may very well have value this week simply through the volume of targets he could see as the main weapon in the offense.
