Ravens' Lamar Jackson returns from injury to face off with Bills' Josh A…

Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will return from a three-game absence due to an ankle injury to face the Buffalo Bills at Highmark Stadium on Sunday, though he admitted he still feels pain when planting his foot. The most striking context of his return is that while Jackson has already earned three first-team All-Pro honors in nine seasons, he does so while holding the NFL career record for rushing yards by a quarterback with over 6,600 yards, yet finds his team sitting in unfamiliar territory at fourth place in the AFC North with a 4-3 record.

How did Lamar Jackson and the Ravens reach this point?

Jackson suffered his ankle injury in Week 4 against the Tennessee Titans, missing the entire second half of that victory before sitting out subsequent games against the Atlanta Falcons, Cleveland (a loss) and Cincinnati (a loss). During his four appearances this season, Jackson completed 70.8 percent of his passes for 967 yards, six touchdowns, and one interception, alongside 19 carries for 144 yards and a score. Backup quarterback Tyler Huntley filled in during Jackson's absence, going 1-2 as a starter and compiling a 69.8 completion percentage with four touchdowns and one interception across four total appearances. The Ravens have historically struggled without their star, winning just seven of the 20 games Jackson has missed in his career.

Baltimore enters Sunday's matchup looking to snap a two-game losing streak following a 35-13 defeat against the Cincinnati Bengals. The Ravens' primary struggle has been closing out games, as they have lost back-to-back contests after holding double-digit leads at halftime. Meanwhile, the 5-1 Buffalo Bills are coming off a bye week following a 33-30 win over the Las Vegas Raiders. Buffalo leads the AFC East while dealing with its own offensive turnover concerns despite ranking as the highest-scoring offense in the league.

What do the analysts and oddsmakers say about this matchup?

Veteran sports analyst Rob Parker recently crowned Jackson as the best quarterback in the NFL on Fox's The Odd Couple Show, drawing a comparison to Tom Brady. The best QB in the NFL is Lamar Jackson, how many All-Pros does Tom Brady have?… He had 3 in 23 years. Lamar already has 3 in two-thirds less time. He should have three MVPs. The best year he had in the NFL, they didn’t give him the MVP, they gave him first-team All-Pro but they gave Josh Allen the MVP cause they felt sorry for him, Parker said, as reported by HITC.

Betting markets have responded dynamically to Jackson's return. DraftKings Sportsbook opened the Bills as 3.5-point favorites, but the line has since shifted to Ravens +3 (-108) as Jackson's practice participation improved. 73 percent of the spread bets in this game are on the Bills to cover, according to DraftKings data cited by Sports Illustrated.

Can Jackson overcome his ankle pain against Josh Allen?

Jackson practiced in full for the first time during the week and was officially removed from the Ravens' injury report. However, the two-time league MVP revealed that he still experiences discomfort when planting his foot, describing it as manageable. His mobility will face a severe test against a rested Buffalo squad led by MVP front-runner Josh Allen.

Both teams carry extensive injury concerns into the afternoon kickoff. For Baltimore, safeties Jaylinn Hawkins (knee) and guard Vega Ioane (knee) are ruled out, while running back Adam Randall (neck) and cornerback T.J. Tampa Jr. (knee) are questionable. The Bills ruled out receiver Tyrell Shavers (knee) while listing offensive tackle Spencer Brown (back), cornerback Dee Alford (ankle), tight end Dalton Kincaid (chest), receiver DJ Moore (shoulder), and defensive tackle Greg Gaines (lower body) on their report.

What should fantasy managers and bettors watch for on Sunday?

For fans and fantasy managers tracking Sunday's 1 p.m. ET kickoff broadcast on CBS and streamed on Paramount+, monitor final pre-game warmups to confirm Jackson's mobility on his ankle. Bettors should note that DraftKings is offering a promotion where new users who make a $5 bet receive $200 in bonus bets and three months of NBA League Pass, and anyone needing gambling support can contact 1-800-GAMBLER.

The Ravens must resolve their fourth-quarter execution failures and multi-score lead collapses if they hope to climb out of the basement of the division. Kickoff arrives at Highmark Stadium in Orchard Park, New York, where Jackson will attempt to prove Parker's assessment correct and hand the Bills their second loss of the 2026 season.