Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Jameson Williams

Wednesday, February 18, 6:45 AM

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman had a very underwhelming 2025 season, catching just 19 of his 38 targets for a career-low 224 yards and two touchdowns. Missing four games impacted his stats slightly, but it's concerning that he had fewer yards over 13 games in 2025 than yards over just six games in 2022. His 1.5 catches and 4.3 fantasy points (PPR) per game are both new career lows. Interestingly enough, Bateman remains under contract with the Ravens through 2029, so he'll have plenty of opportunities to bounce back next season and beyond. It does work in his favor that DeAndre Hopkins and Isaiah Likely are both free agents, but Bateman will still have to compete for targets behind Zay Flowers, Mark Andrews, and any other pass-catchers the Ravens bring in. He can be avoided in all redraft leagues next year, and dynasty managers should be willing to drop him when the 2026 roster crunch comes around.

Sunday, February 22, 10:41 AM

Detroit Lions wide receiver Jameson Williams got off to a slow start to the 2025 season, recording just 16 catches for 289 yards and two touchdowns on 17 targets across the first seven weeks of the year. However, the 24-year-old emerged following Detroit's Week 8 bye, hauling in 49 receptions for 828 yards and five scores over his final 10 games played. Williams became a bigger focal point in the team's offense once Lions head coach Dan Campbell took over play-calling duties from former offensive coordinator John Morton, who was fired after the season. At the same time, Williams' production surge can also be correlated to the absence of Lions tight end Sam LaPorta (back), who went down for the season in Week 10 with a back injury. If LaPorta can make a healthy return in 2026, it's fair to wonder if Williams may fall back into a low-volume role in a Lions' offense that also includes star wideout Amon-Ra St. Brown. Still, Williams has continued to make small steps up in production in each of his four NFL seasons, and he remains an explosive playmaker with fantasy upside in dynasty formats.