Mark Andrews played in the first half of the Ravens' Week 1 game against the Chiefs — you just wouldn't know that by looking only at the box score.
Andrews was on the field frequently but wasn't involved much in Baltimore's offensive game plan. Per usual, the offense ran through Lamar Jackson, who finished the half as the Ravens' leading passer and runner, but he didn't go after his big-bodied security blanket as often as some thought he may.
Instead, Jackson spread the ball around to a few of his other weapons. That left Andrews' fantasy owners — and some Ravens fans — wondering whether the 28-year-old was playing or if he had suffered an injury.
Here's what to know about Andrews' first half and the tight end that outshined him during the first half of Baltimore's season.
MORE CHIEFS-RAVENS:
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Is Mark Andrews playing in Week 1 vs. Chiefs?
Yes, Andrews is playing in the Ravens' season opener vs. the Chiefs. He has been on the field for 32 of Baltimore's 42 first-half snaps, according to Pro Football Focus' Nathan Jahnke.
Isaiah Likely 🚀 pic.twitter.com/57INmzKSbY
— Nathan Jahnke (@PFF_NateJahnke) September 6, 2024
While Andrews was on the field for 76.2 percent of the Ravens' first-half snaps, he wasn't targeted on 18 official routes run. He was targeted once on a play that was wiped out by an illegal formation penalty on left tackle Ronnie Stanley, who lined up behind the line of scrimmage.
As a result, Andrews finished the first half without an official target of a catch. The Ravens will look to get him more involved with the offensive game plan in the second half.
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Mark Andrews stats today
Andrews didn't have a target in the first half. Thus, he finished his first two quarters of the NFL season with zero catches and zero yards.
UPDATE: Andrews wound up with two catches for 14 yards on two targets for the game. He played 59 snaps, six more than Isaiah Likely, and ran 38 routes (compared to 35 for Likely).
Baltimore will probably look to get Andrews a target on their first drive coming out of the locker room. After all, he is a key part of their offense and was the team's third-leading receiver from the 2023 season behind Zay Flowers and Odell Beckham Jr.
WEEK 1 FANTASY PPR RANKINGS:
QBs | RBs | WRs | TEs | D/STs | Kickers
Isaiah Likely stats today
While Andrews hasn't yet done much on offense, his counterpart Isaiah Likely has been heavily involved in the Ravens' gameplan.
Likely finished the first half with four catches for 38 yards. He was one of just three players to catch passes from Lamar Jackson in the first half, along with Zay Flowers (five catches, 39 yards) and Justice Hill (four catches, 28 yards).
UPDATE: Likely finished with nine catches (12 targets), 111 yards, and a TD — all team highs.
Likely caught 30 passes for 411 yards and five touchdowns in 2023 as Andrews' primary backup. It looks like he will have a more prominent role in Baltimore's passing offense during the 2024 season.
