Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Jalen Coker

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.

Saturday, August 30, 12:11 PM

The Carolina Panthers have placed wide receiver Jalen Coker (quad) on injured reserve, per ESPN's Adam Schefter. The 23-year-old was in line for a larger role in the team's offense after Carolina traded away veteran wide receiver Adam Thielen, but Coker will now miss at least the first four games of the season. After going undrafted in 2024, Coker recorded 32 catches for 478 yards and two touchdowns in 11 games last season as a rookie. The Panthers will now likely be turning to veteran wide receivers Hunter Renfrow and David Moore to replace Coker's production. Coker should no longer be a late-round target in fantasy drafts, but he's a name to remember as a mid-season waiver-wire addition, depending on the severity of this quad injury.