Rashod Bateman was a highly anticipated prospect coming into the NFL out of the University of Minnesota, and he’s certainly shown flashes of his top-tier talent over his few years in the NFL.
However, he has yet to truly meet expectations for the Baltimore Ravens, and he now has plenty of competition in this offense for targets. On top of all that, Bateman is now dealing with yet another injury. Can fantasy football managers expect to have him available in Week 4 against the Cleveland Browns?
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Latest News Surrounding Rashod Bateman
Bateman walked away from Week 3’s matchup against the Indianapolis Colts complaining of hamstring tightness, which is never a good sign for a player that missed already significant time this offseason with a foot injury.
Here’s a look at the Ravens’ hurtin’-once-again WR group.
Maryland’s Dontay Demus (No. 11) is back on the practice squad, but Rashod Bateman (hamstring) and Odell Beckham Jr. (ankle) were not practicing. pic.twitter.com/kejt2Qo2AK
— Jonas Shaffer (@jonas_shaffer) September 27, 2023
Bateman’s durability has to be in question at this point now — he’s only played in 18 games over the first two years of his career. It has certainly played a role in him struggling to live up to expectations in Baltimore.
Now, Bateman’s battling another injury that’s forcing him to miss practice to begin the week. He’s an incredibly talented WR, but the best ability for football is availability and Bateman’s struggled to stay on the field.
Will Bateman Play This Week?
As of right now, it’s too early to tell whether or not Bateman will be active and on the field for Week 4. A hamstring injury is one that requires someone to fully rest to recover from, but it’s also important to note that Bateman’s only dealing with tightness to his hamstring and not a pull or a tear.
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There’s a possibility that Bateman returns to practice on Thursday or Friday this week and will be all systems go for Sunday’s bout against the Ravens’ AFC North rival. However, a DNP to begin the week is certainly a bit ominous.
What Does This Mean for Bateman’s Fantasy Ranking?
Bateman wasn’t necessarily someone that you were considering as a starting WR to begin with, so he shouldn’t be on the radar for this matchup even if he returns. The Cleveland Browns’ defense is playing at a superb level through the first three weeks of the season and there are plenty of other mouths to feed now in this offense.
Zay Flowers would see a bump up the rankings if neither Bateman or Odell Beckham Jr. are able to play in this matchup. Nonetheless, Bateman will most likely fall outside of the top 48 WRs in our PFN Consensus Rankings if he does play.