The Baltimore Ravens likely will be without Crockett Gillmore in Week 4 against the Steelers on Thursday night and that could make Maxx Williams a solid fantasy start option for the first time this season. The Ravens are coming into the game in must-win mode, as the team has gone 0-3 and players like Steve Smith and Justin Forsett must step up for Joe Flacco.
The Ravens are now officially without Crockett Gillmore for the game on Thursday, as the team has announced that Gillmore, Breshad Perriman and Eugene Monroe will be out. Maxx Williams is going to get the chance to play for Gillmore, according to Pro Football Talk. The Steelers will be without Ben Roethlisberger and that leaves Michael Vick to start. The Ravens are shorthanded and they come in on a short week looking for their first win of the season.
According to Pro Football Talk, the Ravens issued an injury report during the week and the team had a number of players out of practice. Gillmore was unable to participate in practice, while Chris Canty, Perriman and Monroe were out, while the Steelers had Ryan Shazier out of practice. PFT writes that offensive coordinator Marc Trestman said that Gillmore likely would be out for the game after suffering a calf injury last week.
Gillmore has been a solid TE2 option for fantasy owners this season with 10 catches for 151 yards and two touchdowns. Williams has not played much, but he likely would be the starter if Gillmore can't go. Williams has five catches for 67 yards in three games played this season and he comes in after playing in over half the snaps in the game last week.
The Ravens have had a tough start to the season and now they come in against the Steelers on a short week. Pittsburgh will be starting Michael Vick with Ben Roethlisberger out with a knee injury and that is at least one positive for the Ravens coming in. Joe Flacco has been up and down for the Ravens to start, as he has 863 passing yards and is completing 65 percent of his passes, but he has four interceptions.
Flacco has four touchdowns and those came in the past two games after Flacco opened with a bomb game of 117 yards and two picks against Denver. Flacco has had four TDs and two picks over the last two weeks and he has passed for at least 360 yards in both of those games. The team has lost three games already this season and a defeat on Thursday night would be two divisional losses in a row.
Justin Forsett is a solid fantasy start option for the Ravens, as the team could look at rushing the ball more on a short week. The team threw nearly 50 times last week and that did not leave Forsett much to do and he ended up with 13 yards on 10 carries. Forsett had four catches for 16 yards on seven targets and he now has 124 yards rushing this season.
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