Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Rashod Bateman
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 | 1.8 | 21.5 | 0.1 |
Christian Kirk News
Monday, July 20, 10:11 AM
Entering 2026, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk could be in line for a starting role in the slot. The veteran wideout battled through both injuries and underperformance as a member of the Houston Texans in 2025, recording 38 catches for 239 yards and one touchdown on 52 targets across 13 games. However, Kirk finished the year on a high note, hauling in 10 catches for 164 yards and two scores on 15 targets across the Texans' two playoff games. Still, Kirk's best days are likely behind him as he enters his age-30 campaign. Kirk has missed 18 games due to injury over the last three seasons, and he's failed to reach 30 catches or 400 receiving yards in either of the last two years. While Kirk may open the year in San Francisco as the team's WR3, the 49ers have a trio of young wideouts who could steal playing time from him in De'Zhaun Stribling, Jacob Cowing, and Jordan Watkins. In dynasty formats, Kirk profiles as a sell candidate ahead of 2026.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6.2 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.9 | 28.8 | 0.2 |
Rashod Bateman News
Friday, July 17, 5:52 PM
Clifton Brown of the Baltimore Ravens official website lists veteran wide receiver Rashod Bateman as a projected starter for the 2026 season. Brown adds that Bateman is "looking for a healthy and productive campaign" after playing in 13 games and catching just 19 passes on 38 targets for 224 yards and two touchdowns in his fifth year in the NFL. It was even more of a disappointment after the 26-year-old had a career-best 756 receiving yards and nine touchdowns on 45 catches in 17 regular-season games in 2024. Bateman could be considered a bounce-back candidate in 2026, but with no ties to the new regime in Baltimore after they fired long-time head coach John Harbaugh this offseason, it's extremely hard to recommend the former first-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Minnesota as anything more than a low-upside dart throw late in deep-league drafts. The Ravens don't have excellent WR depth behind WR1 Zay Flowers, but they did draft rookies Ja'Kobi Lane and Elijah Sarratt, who both should have more short- and long-term upside than Bateman.
Christian Kirk vs. Rashod Bateman
Still trying to decide between Kirk and Bateman? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Christian Kirk is projected to score 4.8 points this week while Rashod Bateman is projected to score 6.2 points.
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