Who Should I Start? Justin Jefferson or Rashod Bateman


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
16.6 0.5 0.0 6.1 80.3 0.4

Justin Jefferson News

Justin Jefferson's Upside Remains Capped by Quarterback Situation

Saturday, August 29, 8:57 PM

Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson may have trouble reaching his ceiling once again in 2026. Jefferson went from the WR2 in 2024 to the WR21 in 2025, with the main difference being that he was catching passes from a mix of J.J. McCarthy, Carson Wentz, and Max Brosmer. This upcoming season, Jefferson will be on the receiving end of passes from Kyler Murray. While the two have demonstrated a decent rapport this preseason, we're a bit concerned about what will happen when Murray starts to face defenders in a game environment. Both Marvin Harrison Jr. and Michael Wilson were somewhat quiet when they had Murray as their quarterback, so we can't quite guarantee that the ex-Cardinal will be an upgrade over McCarthy. At the very least, though, it's a fresh look for an offense that wants to return to its pre-2025 form. Jefferson is currently the WR6 in RotoBaller's redraft rankings, which indicates that the rankings experts are expecting him to bounce back in a huge way. It seems like most of the fantasy football community would agree, as Jefferson currently has an ADP of 12.4 (WR6).


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

Rashod Bateman Shines in Joint Practice with Commanders

Thursday, August 27, 5:36 AM

The Baltimore Ravens have long been in need of a reliable No. 2 receiver behind two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers (undisclosed), and during Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, wide receiver Rashod Bateman made arguably his most compelling case of the summer that he can be that guy. With Flowers sidelined by what head coach Jesse Minter called a "minor thing," Bateman was uncoverable in 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s, or full-team drills, prompting team reporters Ryan Mink and Quentin Corpuel to praise him for what could have been his best day of training camp while acknowledging he may have been the Ravens' best offensive player on Wednesday. Bateman had a strong start to camp, but the growing hype around rookie Ja'Kobi Lane, as well as his own recent legal troubles, have slowed any momentum he had built going into his sixth season. But in some of the closest simulations of in-game scenarios the team has seen all summer, Bateman dominated, and the former first-round pick remains a player worthy of late-round consideration as RotoBaller's WR80.


Justin Jefferson vs. Rashod Bateman

Still trying to decide between Jefferson and Bateman? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Justin Jefferson is projected to score 16.6 points this week while Rashod Bateman is projected to score 6.2 points.