Who Should I Start? John Bates or Elijah Arroyo
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.8 | 7.4 | 0.1 |
John Bates News
Wednesday, December 24, 10:23 AM
Washington Commanders tight end John Bates was outsnapped 37 to 27 by second-year tight end Ben Sinnott in last week's loss to the Philadelphia Eagles. Bates has served as Washington's No. 2 TE for most of the season, primarily as a blocker. He posted his highest route share (50%) of the season in Week 15 with Zach Ertz (knee) out for the season, but that mark cratered in Week 16, falling to just 16%, his lowest since Week 2. Sinnott profiles as the better receiving option and is seeing his role increase in that area. He jumped to a season-high 56% route share last week. Bates seems to be trending back toward his typical role as the top blocking tight end and shouldn't be considered a fantasy option on Christmas Day against the Dallas Cowboys, especially considering Washington's starting QB is likely to be Josh Johnson with Marcus Mariota (hand, quadriceps) injured.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.3 | 15.4 | 0.1 |
Elijah Arroyo News
Friday, July 24, 7:18 AM
A second-round pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Seattle Seahawks tight end Elijah Arroyo failed to carve out a significant role in his team's offense as a rookie. Across 13 games (four starts), the 23-year-old recorded 15 catches for 179 yards and one touchdown on 26 targets. Entering 2026, Arroyo once again projects to open the year behind AJ Barner on Seattle's tight end depth chart. However, Barner has averaged just 9.3 yards per reception for his career. Arroyo profiles as the superior athlete and carries more explosive upside, averaging 16.9 yards per catch and scoring seven touchdowns across 13 games in his final collegiate season at the University of Miami. If Arroyo can stay healthy and be more consistent as a blocker in his second NFL season, he could establish himself as a larger piece in the Seattle passing game going forward.
John Bates vs. Elijah Arroyo
Still trying to decide between Bates and Arroyo? 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 1.9 points this week while Elijah Arroyo is projected to score 3.4 points.
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