Who Should I Start? Rashod Bateman or Zay Flowers

Thursday, August 27, 5:36 AM

The Baltimore Ravens have long been in need of a reliable No. 2 receiver behind two-time Pro Bowler Zay Flowers (undisclosed), and during Wednesday's joint practice with the Commanders, wide receiver Rashod Bateman made arguably his most compelling case of the summer that he can be that guy. With Flowers sidelined by what head coach Jesse Minter called a "minor thing," Bateman was uncoverable in 1-on-1s, 7-on-7s, or full-team drills, prompting team reporters Ryan Mink and Quentin Corpuel to praise him for what could have been his best day of training camp while acknowledging he may have been the Ravens' best offensive player on Wednesday. Bateman had a strong start to camp, but the growing hype around rookie Ja'Kobi Lane, as well as his own recent legal troubles, have slowed any momentum he had built going into his sixth season. But in some of the closest simulations of in-game scenarios the team has seen all summer, Bateman dominated, and the former first-round pick remains a player worthy of late-round consideration as RotoBaller's WR80.