Ravens vs. Dolphins Start 'Em, Sit 'Em Thursday Night - Lamar Jackson, Derrick Henry, Zay Flowers, Jaylen Waddle, De'Von Achane

Fantasy football start 'em, sit 'em lineups advice for Ravens vs. Dolphins on Thursday Night Football in Week 9 (2025). NFL matchups analysis and TNF starts/sits.

As the 2025 NFL season moves along, we might expect to get a primetime game or two from time to time against teams with 2-5 and 2-6 records, but the Baltimore Ravens and Miami Dolphins are not your average also-ran teams. Baltimore is favored to win their division in many sportsbooks, while the Dolphins just blew out a playoff-contending Atlanta team at home by 24 points.

No one expects the Dolphins to make the playoffs at this point, but the same can't be said of the Ravens. But at 2-5 in Week 9, Baltimore's margin of error is almost zero. They have to beat teams when they are favored by more than a touchdown, and they are getting back the right weapon to do it.

I will bring you Thursday Night Football analysis all season, focusing on who to start, who is on the fence, and who should be benched. Let's dive into this Week 9 Thursday night matchup for the 2025 season. You can also check out our main Week 9 start 'em, sit 'em matchups article for all other games. Good luck in your fantasy football week, RotoBallers!

• 2025 fantasy football rankings
• Running back (RB) rankings
• Wide receiver (WR) rankings
• Quarterback (QB) rankings
• Tight end (TE) rankings
• Defense (D/ST) rankings
• Kicker (K) rankings
• FLEX rankings
• Dynasty rankings

Baltimore Ravens @Miami Dolphins

Thursday, October 30, 8:15 PM ET

Notable Injuries:

• Lamar Jackson (QB) - Questionable - Hamstring

Ravens vs. Dolphins Matchup Breakdown

It's hard to adequately evaluate the Baltimore Ravens' season to this point. They have had 3.5 games with Lamar Jackson, 2.5 games with Cooper Rush, and one game with Tyler Huntley. They won their second game and their seventh game, with a four-game losing streak in the middle. Week 9 will be the first time their offense is at full strength all season (when accounting for Isaiah Likely's injury).

Chills, thrills, and Thursday night lights 🕸️ #TNFonPrime pic.twitter.com/UJ3WWjnOSF

— NFL on Prime Video (@NFLonPrime) October 29, 2025

When fully healthy, it's not hard to see why this team would be such a large favorite against Miami (8.5 points).  Jackson is the game's most unstoppable weapon. Derrick Henry annihilates opposing defenses, and Zay Flowers has progressed to a star wide receiver. The Dolphins' defense has given up at least 27 points in six of their eight games, including to lowly teams like the Panthers and Browns.

Tua Tagovailoa looked rejuvenated when he threw for four touchdowns against Atlanta last week, but coming back home, he is going to need to be perfect to beat a rested and healthy Jackson. The Miami rush defense also held Bijan Robinson in check last week, but it doesn't change the fact that they allow the fifth-most fantasy points to running backs this season.

Must-Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Lamar Jackson (QB, BAL)

Jackson practiced fully this week (for real this time, and not like the practice report that was changed over the weekend). So he is fully ready to go for this Week 9 matchup after missing three and a half games. If you needed more reason to plug Jackson right back into lineups this week, the Dolphins have allowed the most rushing touchdowns to quarterbacks this season.

Another Full Practice for Lamar Jackson on Tuesday https://t.co/Wfugpkr6ho

— RotoBaller NFL (@RotoBallerNFL) October 29, 2025

Derrick Henry (RB, BAL)

Henry now has two exceptional games in a row, squashing any rumors that he has fallen off the age cliff. He scored twice in Week 8 and had 130 total yards on 25 touches in Week 6. Despite what Miami did to Bijan Robinson last week, don't let it distract you from the fact that Miami has allowed 1,263 total yards and seven touchdowns to running backs through eight games.

Zay Flowers (WR, BAL)

Flowers has at least six receptions in five of seven games this year. He has 25 more targets than any other pass-catcher on the Ravens, and has been the preferred receiver for all quarterbacks that have played for Baltimore this year. Jackson should look his way often on Thursday.

De'Von Achane (RB, MIA)

Among running backs this season, De'Von Achane is fourth in snap share, second in targets, eighth in rushing yards, and sixth in fantasy points per game. Despite Miami stating they want to get other running backs involved, they keep going back to Achane for 75% or more of the work. Not bad for a player facing the defense who have allowed the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position.

Jaylen Waddle (WR, MIA)

Jaylen Waddle has had one game below six targets in his last seven contests. His one-catch game in Week 7 now clearly looks like an outlier, as he has at least a touchdown or 95 receiving yards in five of his last seven games. Only the Cowboys allow more fantasy points to opposing wide receivers.

Possible Starts for Fantasy Football Lineups

Mark Andrews (TE, BAL)

Starting Mark Andrews this week is just a hope and a prayer that he and Jackson find some of that red zone magic that has defined so much of their careers together. Andrews does have a 25% red zone target share this year, which is ninth among tight ends.

Tua Tagovailoa (QB, MIA)

Even with Sunday's masterful performance that earned him 24.2 fantasy points, Tagovailoa is still QB27 in fantasy points per game this season. Is he a starter in 10-team leagues this week? I don't think so, but in 2QB leagues or 14 teams or larger? I can make a case for that since Baltimore allows the fourth-most fantasy points per game to the position.

Consider Sitting for Fantasy Football Lineups

Rashod Bateman and DeAndre Hopkins (WRs, BAL)

Since going off for five catches for 63 yards and a touchdown in Week 3, Rashod Bateman has four total catches for 83 yards. It's possible Jackson elevates him like in 2024, but we need to see it first. DeAndre Hopkins doesn't have a game with more than two receptions all season.

Isaiah Likely (TE, BAL)

Of all the player predictions, I am most scared about getting Likely wrong. We saw him have some absolute smash games with Jackson last year, but this is the first time they will play together in 2025. But Likely hasn't been part of the game plan yet this season and has five total targets in four games.

Isaiah Likely said he’s excited to have Lamar Jackson back and he “looks like Lamar” in practice #Ravens pic.twitter.com/pclAECOOQn

— Brian Wacker (@brianwacker1) October 28, 2025

Malik Washington and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine (WRs, MIA)

Malik Washington scored a very nice touchdown in Week 8, but he didn't have a single game with a touchdown or more than 30 yards receiving before that game. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has only 14 targets all season.

Julian Hill (TE, MIA)

In the two games since Darren Waller went down with an injury, tight end Julian Hill has one catch for one yard and zero catches for zero yards. No, thank you.

Kirksey’s Thursday Night Football Picks

Current Spread: BAL -8.5
Over/Under: 51.5

Let's start with the over number here first. It's a very high 51.5, purely because we expect Jackson back this week. In the games he has played this season, every one of them has had a total of at least 57 points, so the Baltimore defense has been as bad as the offense has been good. Miami will put up points at home, so I lean the over here.

For the spread, the Dolphins have scored at least 27 points at home in every game this season, and have been competitive in all of them. Baltimore will allow points, especially through the air, so this could be a big Jaylen Waddle game. If the Dolphins look to cover the spread against a strong home offense, it's asking them to score more than 35 points in this game.

I think both defenses give up multiple big plays, but Miami covers the big number at home in a high-scoring game. Give me Baltimore 31, Miami 27.

The Pick: MIA +8.5, OVER 51.5

2025 Overall Record:
Spread (5-3), Over/Under (5-3)

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