With Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Steve Smith ruled out for Week 5, Kamar Aiken will be the team's default No. 1 wide receiver.
Kamar Aiken could be Ravens top target with Steve Smith out, worth a fantasy flier in Week 5
With Steve Smith out, the Ravens need someone to throw the ball to, and that could be Kamar Aiken. We break down the fantasy implications.
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It was a role Aiken had been thrust into in Week 4 when Smith exited in the fourth quarter due to a back injury. With Crockett Gillmore also sidelined, Aiken caught five passes for 77 yards and a touchdown to help the Ravens come back from a 20-7 deficit.
With Smith already ruled out for Week 5 and with Gillmore’s status unclear, Aiken will have plenty of snaps once again.
Fantasy impact: The Ravens also acquired Chris Givens for a late-round conditional pick, but he cannot be expected to take on a big role immediately due to having to learn a new playbook.
Though Aiken thrived in Week 4, the likelihood is that Joe Flacco will distribute the ball among several options, including Marlon Brown, Maxx Williams and Kyle Juszczyk. The likelihood is that Marc Trestman will instead lean on Justin Forsett and Lorenzo Taliaferro in the running game, which finally got going in Week 4.
Aiken is worth a dart-throw flex option for desperate Smith owners in Week 5, but for those in leagues with blind bidding for free agents, Aiken isn’t worth breaking the bank.
