Dez

Bryant

Bryant, 32, had one catch or fewer in seven of his eight games as a Raven, demonstrating a total inability to separate. He was almost exclusively used in the red zone. Baltimore doesn’t have much reason to bring him back beyond a leadership role in a locker room without such veteran presence. It’s possible we’ve seen Bryant play his last NFL snap.

Bryant was able to make it back into the NFL following an Achilles tear, but he doesn’t have the explosiveness to be a contributor anymore. It’s certainly possible he retires in the coming weeks. Bryant, 32, had six catches across six games for the Ravens in 2020.

Bryant now has two touchdowns on four targets over the past couple games. Perhaps it’s his reward for not retiring after being placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. For now, his only consistent usage is in the red zone, where he clearly has Lamar Jackson’s attention. Bryant won’t be a viable fantasy option in Week 17.

Bryant practiced in full on Friday and is very likely to play. He’s only projecting for 1-3 targets as a single-game DFS option only. It’s Marquise Brown or bust among the Ravens’ receivers.

Bryant caught the touchdown on a scramble drill in the first half. Sprinting to the sideline, Bryant separated just enough for Lamar Jackson to fit the ball into a tight window for the score. Bryant remains the team’s fourth or fifth option in the pass game and shouldn’t be rostered in fantasy leagues.

Whatever was going on with Bryant is over after seven days. Bryant supposedly tested positive pre-game last Tuesday night against the Cowboys, but they were then announced as false negatives. Then he went on the coronavirus list, anyways, on Thursday. Bryant will catch a couple two three passes down the stretch, but not nearly enough to force his way into the fantasy mix.

The saga continues. Two days after Bryant was hurried off the field just before kickoff against Dallas, and on the same day Bryant claimed on Twitter that he had tested negative for the virus a couple times, he winds up on the COVID list. The disgruntled veteran didn’t practice Thursday, and now it’s clear why. The chances of Bryant playing another game this season are exceedingly small. Willie Snead, meanwhile, was removed from the COVID list on Thursday.

Bryant said on Twitter Thursday that he had multiple negative COVID-19 tests since being taken off the field Tuesday night just before the Ravens played his former team, the Cowboys. He has not been placed on the reserve/COVID-19 list. Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said Bryant is “certainly an option. He’s part of our team, and I was really happy with his progress and how he was practicing.” If Bryant, 31, has quit for the season -- as he stated on Twitter minutes after being yanked from the field Tuesday -- then he may have played his final game as a Raven.

“I’m not excited about it,” the beleagured, salty veteran said on Twitter. Bryant said on Tuesday that he’d “call it quits for the rest of the season” after being forced to leave the field just before Tuesday night kickoff against his former team, the Cowboys. Maybe Bryant will change his mind in the coming days after thinking about his COVID-19 dilemma over a nice bottle of red. Either way, he shouldn’t be rostered in normal sized fantasy formats.

In yet another normal day in 2020, Bryant tested positive for the coronavirus just minutes before the Ravens’ Week 13 kick-off after warming up with the team. Bryant is obviously upset for multiple reasons and tweeted that he’s pondering a sudden opt out. It’s unclear how serious he is, but Bryant will not play in his revenge game against the Cowboys. The NFL has dodged day-of positives for most of the season. Their luck may be running out.