At the start of the 2026 season, Zay Flowers looked like he was primed for a big year. As part of a Week 1 victory for his high-powered Baltimore Ravens, the star receiver torched the Indianapolis Colts for five catches, 150 yards, and a touchdown. Unfortunately, Flowers suffered a hamstring injury in the very game, which potentially threw his near-future game status up in the air.
Both the Ravens and the 26-year-old Flowers have great news about his status as Baltimore prepares for a big game against the Dallas Cowboys in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Sunday. However, everyone will have to be a bit careful amid early reports about some potential poor field conditions at the stadium.
Flowers is officially active for the Ravens in Week 3 and is expected
to play. This is a solid development for the Ravens as they try to attack a Cowboys defense that could most charitably be described as "up and down." However, Flowers' availability does come with an important caveat: He will probably be limited, play fewer snaps, and receive fewer targets as Baltimore exercises precautionary measures with its top playmaker.
Oh, hmm. That's a fascinating development but a necessary one as the Ravens might be gauging the condition of the Week 3 playing field in their evaluation of Flowers' return from a delicate soft-tissue injury:
#Ravens WR Zay Flowers is active today, though he likely will be limited in his usage.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) September 27, 2026
The potential degree of Flowers' availability is a fair warning to fantasy football managers relying on him on Sunday. If you have another decent option to roll with at receiver or in a flex spot, now might be a good time to make that change. That's because even if Flowers is playing, it'll probably take another week or two before he's at full capacity to burn defensive backs regularly again.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Zay Flowers injury update: Is Ravens WR playing vs. Cowboys in Brazil?
