Rashod Bateman: Fantasy Football's High Risk-High Reward Wide Receiver in 2023
Navigating the Challenges and Opportunities of Drafting Baltimore's Talented WR
With the 2022 fantasy football having come to a close, one player that is generating a lot of buzz is Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman. Bateman, who was drafted in the first round in 2021, had both up-and-down rookie & sophomore seasons, showing flashes of brilliance but also struggling with consistency and injuries.
One of the biggest disappointments for fantasy players was Bateman's lack of playing time in the early part of the 2022 season. Through the first four weeks, he never played more than 68% of snaps. Additionally, Bateman only ran routes on 64% of snaps, which was a decrease from the 75% he participated in the previous year. This lack of playing time and route participation is a concern for fantasy players who are considering drafting him.
Another issue with Bateman's rookie season was his target share. He only had an 18% target share which is not what fantasy players were hoping for. However, when he was on the field, his target rate was one of the best in the NFL, at nearly 26%. This suggests that when he was given the opportunity, he was productive. The question is, will the coaching staff give him more opportunities in the future?
Despite these concerns, there were some bright spots for Bateman in his rookie season. He had a couple of big spike weeks, including week 2 against the Miami Dolphins and week 1 against the New York Jets. In these games, he scored 13.9 and 13.6 fantasy points respectively. Additionally, his player profiler comparison is to Stefon Diggs, who also had a slow start to his career before becoming a consistent fantasy producer.
So, what should fantasy players do with Bateman heading into the 2023 season? It's a tough call. On one hand, he has a lot of talent and potential, but on the other hand, he struggled with consistency and playing time in his rookie season. Fantasy players will need to weigh the risk and reward when considering drafting him. One thing to keep in mind is that it took Diggs a few years to fully develop his skills as a route runner into a consistently high-upside fantasy producer, so it's possible that Bateman will do the same.
Rashod Bateman is a player that fantasy players should keep a close eye on as the season approaches. He has a lot of talent and potential, but also has some red flags with his lack of playing time and inconsistent target share. Fantasy players will need to weigh the risk and reward when considering drafting him, and keep in mind that it may take a few years for him to fully develop as a fantasy producer.