He isn't just fast. If you’ve spent any time watching the Baltimore Ravens over the last few seasons, you know Zay Flowers is basically a glitch in the matrix. People love to talk about his speed, but honestly, that’s the lazy way to describe him.
He's a nightmare.
Look at the Week 18 game against the Steelers in early 2026. The Ravens lost, sure, but Flowers was out there looking like he was playing a different sport. Four catches. 138 yards. Two touchdowns of 50-plus yards. He was just teleporting past the secondary.
Some people still think he’s just a "gadget" guy. They're wrong. He finished the 2025 season with 86 catches for 1,211 yards. Those aren't "gadget" numbers; those are "I am the WR1" numbers.
The Lamar Factor and the Deep Ball Myth
There’s this weird narrative that the Ravens don’t throw deep. Or that Zay is just a short-yardage YAC (yards after catch) merchant.
Reality check: Flowers finished 2025 with a near-perfect 99.0 PFF receiving grade on throws of 20 yards or more.
Think about that.
When the ball is in the air for more than 20 yards, he is statistically one of the most efficient players in the entire league. He hauled in 12 deep catches for 435 yards and three scores. Most of this happened while the Ravens’ offense was, frankly, a bit inconsistent.
Lamar Jackson had some back issues toward the end of the 2025 season. We saw the passing volume dip. Even with the addition of a veteran like DeAndre Hopkins mid-year, Zay didn't disappear. He actually got better. He learned how to win when the defense couldn't just ignore the other side of the field.
He’s slippery.
He tied for seventh in the NFL with 16 forced missed tackles. It’s not just that he’s fast; it’s that he’s hard to touch. Trying to tackle him in the open field is like trying to catch a greased pig in a dark room.
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What Most People Get Wrong About His Size
"He's too small." We’ve heard it since his Boston College days.
At 5'9", he isn't DK Metcalf. He’s not going to out-muscle a 210-pound cornerback in a phone booth. But the NFL has changed. The "big-bodied receiver" requirement is kind of dying out.
Separation is the only currency that matters now.
In 2025, Flowers recorded 27 receptions against man coverage, which was 4th-most in the NFL. That’s the stat that should scare defensive coordinators. If you leave your best corner on an island with him, Zay is going to create three yards of space before the ball even leaves Lamar’s hand.
The Consistency Gap
Is he perfect? No.
There was a stretch in the middle of 2025 where he went nine straight games without a touchdown. It was frustrating for fantasy managers and Ravens fans alike. One week he’d have 143 yards (Week 1), and a few weeks later he’d disappear with 10 yards on two targets (Week 4).
But you have to look at the why.
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The Ravens are a run-first team. They always will be. When Derrick Henry is eating, the wideouts are blocking. It’s the tax you pay to play in Baltimore. Flowers actually led the team in receptions and yards despite a low-volume passing attack.
He’s doing more with less.
Why 2026 is the True Breakout
The 2026 season is going to be pivotal for Zay. He’s entering the back half of his rookie deal. The Ravens are in a bit of a transition period with the coaching staff changes—the post-John Harbaugh era is officially looming.
Here is what's actually happening on the ground:
- Target Share: Zay is hovering around a 26.7% target share.
- Efficiency: He’s averaging 2.48 yards per route run.
- Versatility: He took 10 rushing attempts in 2025.
He’s becoming a "volume-plus" player. That means even on the days where the deep ball isn't hitting, the Ravens are finding ways to get the ball into his hands. Screens, jet sweeps, quick slants—they are treating him like a centerpiece.
Honestly, the comparison shouldn't be to other "small" receivers. It should be to the elite separators. He’s starting to move like Stefon Diggs or Tyreek Hill in terms of how he sets up his breaks.
Real-World Action Steps for Following Zay
If you're tracking Zay Flowers for 2026, whether for your local fan group or a fantasy roster, don't just look at the box score.
Watch the "all-22" film or the highlights of his routes against man coverage. You'll see he’s winning even when he doesn't get the ball. That’s the sign of a receiver about to explode into the top-tier "superstar" category.
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Pay attention to:
- The Slot Usage: He ran only 26% of his routes from the slot in late 2025 but was targeted on 60% of those. If the Ravens move him inside more in 2026, his reception floor will skyrocket.
- Red Zone Targets: He had 5 red zone targets in 2025. This needs to double. If it does, he’s a 10-touchdown player.
- The Health of Lamar: Zay's ceiling is tied to Lamar's back. If Lamar is 100%, Zay is a top-10 WR.
Zay Flowers isn't just a "speedster." He’s a technical route runner who happens to be faster than almost everyone else. That’s a dangerous combination.
If you want to stay ahead of the curve, keep an eye on his snap share alongside Rashod Bateman and whatever veteran the Ravens bring in this spring. The target volume is there, the efficiency is elite, and the "breakout" is already happening—most people just haven't realized how high the ceiling actually is.
Invest your attention in the yards after catch. That’s where the magic happens.