Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Rome Odunze

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.

Wednesday, August 13, 6:08 PM

Mark Carman of CHGO Sports reports that Chicago Bears second-year wide receiver Rome Odunze looks like quarterback Caleb Williams' go-to guy in practice on Wednesday, especially in the red zone. Carman adds that Odunze and Williams continued to work together after practice. There was a lot of disappointment in the Bears offense last year in Williams' and Odunze's first NFL season. Odunze finished with only 54 catches on 101 targets for 734 yards and three touchdowns in 17 games (12 starts). It wasn't a bad showing, but he was inconsistent for fantasy purposes. The 23-year-old could be in line for a Year 2 breakout with Keenan Allen gone and in new head coach Ben Johnson's offense, with his goal being his first 1,000-yard season and double-digit TDs. That would be amazing for fantasy managers that draft him as a WR3/flex with upside in 2025.