Who Should I Start? Keenan Allen or Rashod Bateman

Friday, November 28, 5:35 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Keenan Allen was a rare bright spot in the team's disastrous loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars, leading the team with four receptions for 53 yards on six targets. Despite his route rate recently increasing, Allen's target rate has stabilized at around five targets per game, and he has only seen one red-zone target over the last four contests, limiting his overall upside. He faces a favorable matchup against the Las Vegas Raiders, who play zone coverage at the second-highest rate in the league. Allen is significantly more effective against zone coverage than man, making him a reliable, high-floor target for the often under-pressure Justin Herbert. RotoBaller ranks Allen as WR41 this week, reflecting concerns over his decreased usage and limited red-zone opportunities. Given his favorable zone matchup and reliability in moving the chains, Allen can be considered a sneaky FLEX option.

Wednesday, November 26, 6:08 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (ankle) upgraded to a full practice on Wednesday and has been removed from the final injury report in Week 13, according to Jonas Shaffer of The Baltimore Sun. Bateman will put an end to his two-game absence due to an ankle sprain and will play against the division-rival Cincinnati Bengals on Thanksgiving Day on Thursday night. The matchup against Cincy's porous defense is an excellent one for Bateman to return to, but he may not be able to take advantage of it. The 25-year-old is having another disappointing season for fantasy football purposes, having caught just 16 passes for 194 yards and two touchdowns on 32 targets through nine games. At best, fantasy managers should consider Bateman to be a low-upside WR5/flex in deeper leagues in his return to Baltimore's lineup.