Zay Flowers finished 2025 as AFC North's highest graded wide receiver

For years, conversations about elite AFC wide receivers have almost always centered around names in the AFC North. Unfortunately, the elite have more often than not played for the Baltimore Ravens' rivals.

That's changing quickly. According to Pro Football Network's latest impact grades, Ravens star Zay Flowers currently stands as the highest-graded wide receiver in the division with an 86.2 grade. Their system is based on the player's performance. Efficiency, target share, and proprietary, depth-adjusted metrics are all considered to calculate a numerical score and letter grade. That places him ahead of some extremely talented competition throughout the AFC North. Guys like Ja'Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Jerry Jeudy come to mind.

Honestly, it's difficult to argue against it. Flowers has steadily evolved from an exciting young playmaker into one of Lamar Jackson's most dependable and dynamic offensive weapons. The explosiveness was obvious from the beginning, but his overall growth as a route runner, separator, and every-down target has elevated his game into another tier entirely. He's a two-time Pro Bowler (2024, 2025).

Zay Flowers continues to prove himself as the centerpiece of the Ravens' offense

At this point, Flowers is no longer simply a complementary weapon within Baltimore's offense. He's becoming the centerpiece of the passing attack. The former first-round pick followed his Pro Bowl breakout campaign with another productive season in 2025, hauling in 86 receptions for 1,211 yards while continuing to stretch defenses horizontally and vertically. What makes Flowers especially dangerous is how difficult he is to defend consistently.

He can create separation quickly underneath, generate explosive plays after the catch, and punish defenses vertically if they become overly aggressive near the line of scrimmage. Baltimore has also increasingly moved him around the formation, making it harder for defenses to isolate him with favorable matchups. That versatility matters tremendously in today's NFL. Perhaps the most important takeaway here is what this recognition symbolizes historically for Baltimore. The Ravens have spent decades searching for a true homegrown star wide receiver capable of consistently producing at a high level. While the organization has featured talented receivers before, Flowers is beginning to separate himself, both statistically and stylistically, from almost every receiver the franchise has developed internally.