DeSean Jackson Feels Ready, Other Targets Stepping Up

With Rashod Bateman out of action, the Ravens will look toward other playmakers to step forward.

DeSean Jackson could make his season debut when the Ravens face the Saints on Monday Night Football in Week 9. His presence would give Baltimore another weapon with the potential to provide a midseason spark.

There’s no questioning Jackson’s career resume as a deep threat with 58 touchdowns and a career average of 17.6 yards per catch. After watching him work out since the Ravens signed him in mid-October, Head Coach John Harbaugh still sees juice in Jackson.

“I’ll just preface it by saying he is [almost] 36 years old, but he’s a good-looking 36 – I can tell you that,” Harbaugh said Monday. “He looks great. And I say that from the standpoint of, he’s running around really well. You guys have seen him at practice. I think he probably feels like he’s ready to go, and if he is, he could be out there.”

Harbaugh said Bateman (15 catches, 285 yards, two touchdowns) will miss a few weeks with his foot injury, and he leads the team averaging 19.0 yards per catch. However, the Ravens still have one of the NFL’s fastest players at wide receiver in Devin Duvernay, an even if Jackson doesn’t play a heavy load of offensive snaps, he’s always a threat to take the top off the defense.

“We’d love to see him make some big plays,” Harbaugh said.” That would be the hope for DeSean. He can do all the other things too, but he still can run.”

The Ravens didn’t flinch without Bateman and All-Pro tight end Mark Andrews (shoulder) in the second half of their Week 8 victory over the Buccaneers. Three other targets delivered their best game of the season – wide receiver Demarcus Robinson (six catches, 64 yards), rookie tight end Isaiah Likely (six catches, 77 yards, one touchdown), and wide receiver James Proche II (three catches, 24 yards). Robinson made a terrific run-after-catch for a 16-yard gain and embraced playing a larger role in the offense with Andrews and Bateman sidelined.

“You’ve got…