One thing is for certain when it comes to the Baltimore Ravens' starting quarterback for Week 8: he'll be a Pro Bowler.
Starting quarterback Lamar Jackson has missed exactly half of his team's playing time through seven weeks. Jackson sustained a high ankle sprain
at the end of the first half of the Ravens' Week 4 win over the Tennessee Titans. Since then, 2022 Pro Bowler Tyler "Snoop" Huntley has filled in for the starter for three and a half games.Jackson returned to practice in a limited capacity ahead of Week 7 after the Ravens held him out for every practice in Weeks 5 and 6. The quarterback told reporters on Friday, Oct. 23, that he was "headed in the right direction" but needed to feel like himself before he would play. Ultimately, he missed
last week's clash with the Cincinnati Bengals.
After dropping the matchup with Cincinnati, the Ravens fell to last place in the AFC North. Next up is another tough test within their conference: playing at the Buffalo Bills in Week 8 on Sunday, Nov. 1.
Here's what to know about Jackson's outlook for Baltimore's next game:
Lamar Jackson injury update
NFL Media and ESPN insider Ian Rapoport reported on Tuesday, Oct. 27, that Jackson will play in Week 8.
"I expect, based on the people I've spoken with, that Lamar Jackson will play this week. He'll be on the field this week against the Buffalo Bills," Rapoport said. "He is believed to be as close to 100% as he has been, and the Ravens do expect him to play."
Rapoport also addressed how his previous reporting became part of the storyline in Jackson's recovery. When asked by a reporter on Oct. 23 if he had suffered a deltoid sprain, the quarterback said he was told it was a high ankle sprain and asked who reported it. When Jackson found out it was a report from Rapoport, he had a quip ready.
"Ian Rapoport said that? He part of the training staff?" Jackson said before shaking his head. "So we can't go off Ian Rapoport. He's just reporting. Somebody probably told him that too though, so can't blame him."
The insider joked on Oct. 27 that "the idiots at Bleacher Report" twisted Jackson's comments into calling out Rapoport, but he took it as a light-hearted jab.
"Watch it with a normal brain. He was funny," Rapoport said. "I had said it was not a typical high ankle sprain – it was not. They told him it's a high ankle sprain because it's not low, it's fine."
Lamar Jackson responds to fan video calling out Ravens
A TikTok user called "mrpowell78" criticized the Ravens for misrepresenting the nature of Jackson's injuries whenever he gets hurt in a video he posted on Oct. 27.
"Every time he gets hurt, they don't explain the severity of his injury. They always say, 'Oh, he's day-to-day.' Or 'He shouldn't be out too long.' 'He should be back any time.' He had a high ankle sprain! If you know anything about a high ankle sprain, that's normally like a four- to six-week injury, minimum."
According to Cleveland Clinic, a high ankle sprain may take six to eight weeks to recover from, with a longer recovery time possible for athletes.
The TikTok video continues with mrpowell78 asserting that Jackson has gotten more criticism for his injury than Patriots wide receiver A.J. Brown, who suffered a high ankle sprain in Week 1. He also said Jackson can't "play hurt" the way other quarterbacks might be able to.
"Other quarterbacks not like my quarterback! My quarterback is a Lamborghini. Your quarterback is a Chevy Cobalt. They not the same," mrpowell78 said.
Jackson commented on the video shortly after it was posted.
"[People] like you are the ones I play so hard for," the Ravens' quarterback wrote.
Ravens QB depth chart
- Lamar Jackson
- Tyler Huntley
- Joe Fagnano
Huntley is 1-2 in his three starts this season filling in for Jackson. The 2026 season is the second year in his third stint in Baltimore. It's his seventh overall year with the Ravens, all of which he's spent as a backup or practice squad quarterback for the Ravens.
Fagnano signed with the Ravens as an undrafted free agent in April. The rookie has not yet appeared in a game for Baltimore during the regular season.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Lamar Jackson replies to fan's TikTok criticizing Ravens over his injury
