Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Chris Olave

Monday, July 28, 4:25 PM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (illness) was sent home on Monday due to an illness, according to Ravens head coach John Harbaugh. There's no reason to think this will be a long-term absence for Bateman, but he could conceivably miss the next few days of practice as well. The 25-year-old is coming off the best season of his career in 2024 when he recorded 45 catches for 756 yards and nine touchdowns in 17 games. Baltimore added some talent to the wide receiver room with the offseason addition of DeAndre Hopkins, but Bateman still profiles as an important piece of the team's offense. The Ravens' low-volume passing offense limits Bateman's fantasy upside, but he has some boom/bust appeal as a flex option in deep leagues due to his ability to make plays down the field.

Tuesday, July 22, 4:16 PM

ESPN's Erin Summers reports that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (head) is a full go ahead of the team's training camp. It's excellent news for the former Ohio State Buckeye, whose 2024 was marred by multiple concussions that forced him to miss nine contests. Olave is a gifted NFL wide receiver, though we haven't quite seen his full upside in fantasy. Despite entering the season healthy, that may not be the case again, with questions surrounding the quarterback position after Derek Carr's abrupt departure. As of now, Tyler Shough appears to be the favorite to win the job over Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. If Shough is just average, that'd be enough to make Olave's current price in drafts worth the risk. Talent has never been a concern for the 25-year-old, but his current situation doesn't inspire much confidence -- even as his team's unquestioned No. 1 wideout.