Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Jayden Reed

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.

Thursday, August 28, 8:11 AM

According to Jason Wilde, Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jayden Reed (foot) has been diagnosed with a Jones fracture. While this type of fracture is common in athletics, it typically requires surgery. However, the Packers wideout has "no interest" in this extended timeline and plans to play through the injury. Reed noted that he has been focusing on resting his foot to ensure he is ready for their season opener against the Detroit Lions. Throughout August, the wide receiver has been seen wearing a boot on his left foot. While he has recently returned to practice, fantasy managers should expect the 25-year-old's workload to be closely monitored. Fantasy managers should continue to monitor this situation closely in case of a setback. If he were to miss time, rookie Matthew Golden and tight end Tucker Kraft would likely see the most significant increase in targets.