Who Should I Start? John Bates or Blake Whiteheart


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
3.7 0.0 0.0 1.6 14.3 0.1

John Bates News

John Bates Could See a Larger Role in Commanders Offense

Saturday, September 26, 6:18 PM

Across his first two games of 2026, Washington Commanders tight end John Bates has recorded just two catches for 13 yards on three targets. However, the 28-year-old could see more playing time in his team's Week 3 matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. Commanders TE1 Chig Okonkwo (hamstring) is set to miss his second consecutive game with a hamstring injury. While Bates was not heavily utilized in Week 2, Washington got uninspiring production from the tight end duo of Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff. Bates has recorded just 74 receptions across 84 career games with the Commanders, so he's no guarantee to step in and provide fantasy-relevant production. Still, Bates could be a name to monitor in deep fantasy leagues coming out of Week 3.


Week 3 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
2.9 0.0 0.0 1.1 10.2 0.1

Blake Whiteheart News

Blake Whiteheart Returns to the Browns

Monday, March 23, 1:58 PM

The Cleveland Browns re-signed tight end Blake Whiteheart to an undisclosed deal on Monday, according to Aaron Wilson of KPRC 2 Sports. The deal is most likely for just one season, bringing Whiteheart back for his third year in Cleveland. The 26-year-old has not been on the fantasy football radar in his three seasons in the NFL, catching just eight of 15 targets for 55 yards and one touchdown in 30 games (six starts). He went undrafted out of Wake Forest before debuting in the NFL in 2023 with the Arizona Cardinals. Whiteheart had a career-high six catches for 51 yards and his only touchdown in 11 games (two starts) in his first year in Cleveland in 2024. He will return to block on offense while also contributing on special teams. David Njoku isn't going to return in free agency, but Harold Fannin Jr. will be the Browns' unquestioned top pass-catching TE in 2026 after his impressive rookie campaign.


John Bates vs. Blake Whiteheart

Still trying to decide between Bates and Whiteheart? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that John Bates is projected to score 3.7 points this week while Blake Whiteheart is projected to score 2.9 points.