What do we make of Hollywood Brown? Neat little receiver. Looks like he could be another DeSean Jackson. But the Ravens are starting Lamar Jackson, and that has me worried about their ability to get him the ball.

They had a lot of success last year using Jackson as a runner, but he doesn’t seem to be close to being a viable passer yet. He looked pretty rough as a rookie.

Baltimore used mostly three wide receivers last year (Michael Crabtree, Willie Snead, John Brown) and they were a lot more success when Joe Flacco was at quarterback. In Flacco’s nine games, they combined to averaged 169 receiving yards, with 7 TDs.

Including the playoffs, Jackson started eight games, and those wide receivers combined averaged 69 yards in those games, with 4 TDs.

Hollywood Brown is most like John Brown – very small, and very fast – and he was particularly ineffective after the quarterback switch. The veteran (now with Buffalo) was having a very good year, on pace for 1,068 yards and 8 TDs while averaging 17.7 yards per catch. But Jackson couldn’t get him the ball – 10 of 33 passing, for 128 yards and a touchdown in eight games.

Of the top 15 games by these receivers last year, all but one came when Flacco was at quarterback. (The exception game came when Crabtree caught a pair of touchdowns in the second half of the playoff loss against the Chargers.) That’s using PPR scoring. The bottom 14 games, on the other hand, all came with Jackson starting.

Here are the 51 games by those receivers. I’ve got their names in bold when Jackson was starting.

BALTIMORE'S STARTING WIDE RECEIVERS IN 2018
PlayerOppResultNoYdsAvgTDPPR
BrownNORL 23-24713419.1126.4
Crabtreeat TENW 21-069315.5121.3
Brownat PITW 26-14311638.7120.6
Brownat CINL 23-3449223.0119.2
CrabtreeLACL 17-2323819.0217.8
SneadBUFW 47-344912.3114.9
BrownDENW 27-1458617.2013.6
BrownBUFW 47-334414.7113.4
CrabtreeDENW 27-147618.7013.1
Sneadat TENW 21-07608.6013.0
CrabtreeBUFW 47-333812.7112.8
SneadPITL 16-237588.3012.8
Crabtreeat CLEL 9-1266611.0012.6
Sneadat PITW 26-146569.3011.6
CrabtreeNORL 23-2456613.2011.6
CrabtreeOAKW 34-173217.0111.1
Sneadat KANL 24-2756112.2011.1
SneadTAMW 20-1255811.6010.8
Crabtreeat CINL 23-3455611.2010.6
Sneadat CLEL 9-1255511.0010.5
Sneadat CINL 23-3455410.8010.4
Sneadat CARL 21-3655410.8010.4
Brownat KANL 24-2722311.5110.3
SneadCINW 24-2155110.2010.1
Brownat CLEL 9-1245814.509.8
SneadLACL 17-2335016.708.0
SneadDENW 27-1433913.006.9
Crabtreeat ATLW 26-1633612.006.6
CrabtreePITL 16-2333210.706.2
Crabtreeat CARL 21-3633110.306.1
Crabtreeat KANL 24-2733110.306.1
Crabtreeat PITW 26-143299.705.9
Brownat CARL 21-363289.305.8
SneadNORL 23-243237.705.3
Brownat TENW 21-022814.004.8
Brownat LACW 22-1022713.504.7
BrownPITL 16-233155.004.5
CrabtreeCLEW 26-2422010.004.0
BrownOAKW 34-1712525.003.5
SneadCLEW 26-2412525.003.5
BrownLACL 17-232147.003.4
BrownCINW 24-2112323.003.3
Crabtreeat LACW 22-1012020.003.0
BrownTAMW 20-12199.001.9
Sneadat ATLW 26-16188.001.8
CrabtreeCINW 24-21177.001.7
BrownCLEW 26-24177.001.7
SneadOAKW 34-1700.00.0
Brownat ATLW 26-1600.00.0
CrabtreeTAMW 20-1200.00.0
Sneadat LACW 22-1000.00.0

So back to Hollywood Brown. He’s an insane talent. I would have loved to see him play on almost any other team. But on this roster (at least for 2019) I don’t think he’ll do too much. There are other rookie receivers that I would definitely draft earlier.

—Ian Allan