Annually seeing your megastar quarterback suffer an ankle injury isn't ideal for the Baltimore Ravens and their aspirations of Super Bowl contention.
When will Lamar Jackson return this time, then?
The answer to that is maybe, and possibly soon, though also maybe and possibly not soon enough.
Let's take a closer look at Jackson's status and the Ravens vs. Falcons odds ahead of their Week 5 showdown on Sunday Night Football, which could mark another missed game for the Baltimore quarterback.
Ravens vs. Falcons odds
Enjoying Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account
Falcons
When will Lamar Jackson return?
The Baltimore Ravens are unfortunately used to life without Lamar Jackson. The four-time Pro Bowler missed four games last season, and going back further, he appeared in only 12 games during the 2021 and 2022 campaigns.
A gift can sometimes be a curse, too. Jackson is an athletic marvel and highly mobile, which is what leads to his upper-echelon success. But it can also leave him exposed, and last season he was sacked on a career-worst 10.7% of his dropbacks.
Jackson suffered yet another ankle injury last week against the Tennessee Titans, missing the entire second half. It was a comfortable 24-18 win, and the Ravens led 24-7 at one point. Head coach Jesse Minter later said putting Jackson back in was under consideration.
Sensible caution then prevailed in such a lopsided affair. On Monday, he was diagnosed with a sprained ankle and faced "only an outside chance to play," according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.
However, later Jackson's sprain was described as "unconventional," again via Rapoport. That usually isn't a word you want assigned to an ailment, but in this case it means the sprain isn't low or high. Avoiding the latter and the dreaded high-ankle sprain is critical.
Rapoport was sure to say it seems likely Jackson sits out this week. He's done that in practice so far, missing the sessions on Wednesday and Thursday. However, Minter said Jackson's missed practice time isn't concerning, and that "when he's ready to play, he'll be ready to play."
So there's at least some hope he can play, and any participation in Friday's practice would certainly boost those chances while potentially shifting the betting markets significantly.
Lamar Jackson injury history
| Date | Team | Injury | Return |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 24, 2015 |
 LOU |
Ankle sprain (Grade 1) | Nov. 7, 2015 Missed one game |
| Dec. 12, 2021 |
 BAL |
Right ankle sprain / bone bruise | Sept. 11, 2022 Missed final four games of season |
| Dec. 4, 2022 |
BAL |
Left knee PCL sprain (Grade 2) | Sept. 10, 2023 Missed final five regular-season games and playoffs |
| Nov. 16, 2023 |
BAL |
Ankle tweak | Nov. 26, 2023 Returned same game; no starts missed |
| Nov. 23, 2025 |
BAL |
Hamstring / Back / Ankle aggravation | Dec. 21, 2025 Missed four games in 2025 season |
| Oct. 4, 2026 |
BAL |
Left ankle sprain | Questionable / Week-to-week Return date TBD |
Who has replaced Lamar Jackson?
Few can even think about matching Jackson's mobility, but Tyler Huntley, who has been called upon plenty when Jackson goes down, can scramble and evade too.
Huntley will be under center again if Jackson can't go in Week 5. He made five appearances and two starts last season and held his own while posting a 103.1 QB rating, completing 77.6% of his pass attempts at 6.4 yards per attempt, and rushing for 151 yards.
Lamar Jackson injury: Odds impact
There's predictably been dramatic movement in the NFL Week 5 odds tied to the uncertainty around Jackson's latest injury.
The NFL odds opened with the Ravens as massive -6.5 favorites, but that's swung miles in the other direction now, with Atlanta now listed at -3.5.
Similarly, the total has plunged from forecasting a borderline shootout at 49.5 points to now a much different game script at 44.5.
The player prop markets will no doubt align with the latter storyline for the game as well. There will be a surely correct assumption that the Ravens are set to lean heavily on running back Derrick Henry, resulting in inflated yardage and attempt totals for him to hit, and correspondingly deflated ones for all Ravens pass-catchers.
That includes Zay Flowers, who's dealing with an injury of his own and has been limited in practice.
Both the spread and total will continue down the current path if Jackson is ruled out.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
