Devontez Walker Hauls In Just One Pass Against Packers
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Devontez Walker capped off the preseason in a lackluster way just like the rest of his training camp and preseason has gone. The rookie out of North Carolina caught one of his two targets for four yards against the Packers on Saturday which left him with a total of the exact same for the entire preseason. He was only targeted one other time and didn't catch that one. Walker has been dealing with a lot of injury issues through camp, so he was on and off the field for a lot of it. As it stands currently, he doesn't seem to be in line for a prominent role right away while Zay Flowers, Rashod Bateman, and Nelson Agholor are still the top three on the depth chart. Walker will need to battle Deonte Harty and Tylan Wallace for snaps after the starting trio.
Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Russell Gage (undisclosed) was signed midway through training camp and jumped in immediately to find the end zone in his first practice. However, he suffered an undisclosed injury shortly thereafter and has only appeared on a side field while working with a trainer since. Time is running out for Gage to get healthy to make a case he belongs on the 53-man roster. Meanwhile, receiver Devontez Walker (rib) played just six offensive snaps in the second preseason game against the Falcons, and head coach John Harbaugh said afterward he's still dealing with a rib injury. The fourth-round rookie hasn't had many moments in practice during camp, has had few opportunities in games and has battled physical issues. It's highly unlikely Baltimore would outright cut a fourth-round selection, but Walker is running out of time to prove he warrants a game-day role when the regular season kicks off in two weeks.
There's little ambiguity as the who the Baltimore Ravens' top three wide receivers are entering the 2024 season -- Zay Flowers at No. 1, Rashod Bateman at No. 2, and Nelson Agholor at No. 3. Devontez Walker, the speedy fourth-round rookie with big-play ability, will be in position to earn notable snaps this summer, and his size and speed combination adds diversity to the team's receiver corps. The fifth spot will likely be decided by whoever wins the return competition on special teams. Deonte Harty is a former Pro Bowl returner, while Tylan Wallace did a nice job returning punts in 2023. The 22-year-old Walker led North Carolina in touchdowns in just eight games last year and is an intriguing addition to this offense, but he'll be off the fantasy radar in single-year leagues in 2024 unless an injury to one of the wideouts in front of him opens up a bigger role.
The Baltimore Ravens selected North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker with the No. 113 overall pick on Saturday in the fourth round of the 2024 NFL draft. Walker was highly productive at Kent State before eventually transferring to play for the Tar Heels and with quarterback Drake Maye, who went third overall to the Patriots in the first round on Thursday. The 22-year-old ended up playing in only eight games in 2023, but he still led the team in touchdowns. His 4.36-second 40-yard dash speed will make him a threat deep down the field at the NFL level, although he's unlikely to make a big impact right away for a run-first Ravens team that already has receivers Zay Flowers and Rashod Bateman as their top two options, not to mention tight end Mark Andrews.
North Carolina wide receiver Devontez Walker had an up-and-down Senior Bowl last week but then ran a 4.36-second 40-yard dash and opened eyes in both the vertical jump (40.5 inches) and broad jump (11-foot-2). He had a few drops while catching passes from quarterback Drake Maye at their Pro Day on Thursday, but he seemed to get better the deeper the passes were. "Definitely speed," Walker said when asked what his superpower was. "Being able to win vertically, throw it over any defense -- I take pride in that. I feel like I can win a foot race with anybody, so I try to make everything a foot race." Walker still has plenty of things to work on as he transitions to the next level in the NFL, but his speed alone could eventually make him intriguing as a deep threat in fantasy.
Devontez Walker
• WR
•
Ravens
