The question of is Rashod Bateman playing in Week 8 came to prominence for fantasy football managers on Tuesday when the Baltimore Ravens WR was listed as a union participant due to his foot injury. Let’s examine the latest update regarding Bateman’s injury and the fantasy implications of his status.
Update: Per Adam Schefter, Bateman is expected to play in Week 8.
Is Rashod Bateman Playing Tonight?
It has been a roller coaster this week when it comes to Rashod Bateman’s availability for Week 8. On Monday, we did not even have any questions about his availability, as Bateman was off the Ravens’ injury report for the first time since Week 4. However, he was added to the report as a non-participant on Thursday but was at least able to return as a full participant on Friday.
This injury situation for Bateman will have ramifications for fantasy managers and for those playing on Underdog Fantasy. Whether it is daily fantasy contests or their superb Pick ’em game, Bateman’s status will have a huge impact. New users of Underdog Fantasy can claim up to a $100 deposit bonus by signing up today.
The fact that Bateman was able to be a full participant on Friday is a very good sign that he should be available. The Ravens will likely want to see how he feels today and then again during pre-game warmups before making a final decision.
Fantasy Implications for Bateman and the Other Ravens’ WRs
It is tough to know what to do with Bateman this week. The Buccaneers defense has been a mixed group for opposing WRs this year. They have allowed more than 30 fantasy points to the position in half-PPR twice, under 20 fantasy points twice, and three in the 20-30-point region. At an average of 25.83 fantasy points allowed to the position, the Buccaneers are a middle-of-the-road matchup.
The problem with Bateman is that he has been an inconsistent producer week-to-week. He has averaged 5.4 targets per game and three receptions per game. However, in the last two weeks, he has just seven receptions and 59 receiving yards. With the injury, he is a tough player to trust because we just do not know what his usage will look like if he is limited.
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If Bateman does end up being ruled out, then Devin Duvernay would be the next man up at WR. When Bateman was out previously, Duvernay averaged six targets. However, his fantasy value was not consistent across the two weeks.
Further complicating the situation is that Mark Andrews did not practice all week and is also questionable. Normally, you would expect Andrews to see a bump in targets with Bateman out. If Bateman and Andrews are both out, then Duvernay could become a sneaky 14-team Flex option tonight.
The other player who could benefit in terms of snaps if Bateman is out is Demarcus Robinson. However, he will be tough to trust outside of the very deepest leagues.