The Baltimore Ravens receiver situation has fantasy managers scratching their heads, especially with Rashod Bateman, after the season he had. He is a player who can make your Sunday with a spectacular 40-yard touchdown catch, then disappear for three straight weeks like he’s playing hide and seek with Lamar Jackson.
But let’s be honest here. We’ve all been burned by Bateman before. You draft him, thinking this is finally his breakout year, you start him with confidence, and then you watch him put up a goose egg while riding your bench the following week when he explodes for 25 fantasy points. It’s the kind of roller coaster that makes you question your life choices and wonder if you should have just taken up chess instead.
Rashod Bateman 2024 Stats and Fantasy Production
Here’s what’s absolutely maddening about Rashod Bateman: the talent is undeniably there. When you watch that man work, you see flashes of pure brilliance that make your heart race. His body control is elite, his route running is crisp, and when he attacks the ball downfield, it’s poetry in motion. That clutch catch everyone’s talking about? That’s not a fluke; that’s who Bateman is when everything clicks.
The numbers tell a wild story. Last season, Bateman caught eight of 15 deep passes for 292 yards and five touchdowns. His 36.7-yard average depth of target on deep throws was the highest among receivers with 15 or more deep targets. When this guy connects on the deep ball, it’s not just a completion, it’s a fantasy explosion waiting to happen.
But here’s where things get ugly. Bateman has been outside the top 48 fantasy receivers in over half of his games in each season of his career. Read that again and let it sink in. We’re talking about a guy who’s basically unrosterable in most weeks, yet capable of single-handedly winning your matchup when the stars align.
The brutal reality is that DeAndre Hopkins, even in his decline, brings a pedigree and skill set that commands respect. In two-receiver sets, which Baltimore runs more than almost anyone, thanks to their tight end duo of Mark Andrews and Isaiah Likely. Hopkins could easily steal snaps from Bateman on passing downs. That’s fewer opportunities for a guy who already struggles with consistency.
Let’s talk about what’s really frustrating here. Bateman isn’t just a deep threat by choice; he’s been pigeonholed into that role by Baltimore’s offensive construction. With Zay Flowers dominating the slot and intermediate routes, plus Andrews and Likely soaking up targets over the middle, Bateman gets left with the boom-or-bust deep shots.
The Ravens’ success compounds this problem. When you’re winning games by two touchdowns regularly, you don’t need to air it out. Derrick Henry‘s addition last season made this even worse, as Baltimore could grind out victories on the ground while Bateman watched from the sideline during clock-killing drives.
Rashod Bateman 2025 Fantasy Outlook
Playing with Lamar Jackson should be a fantasy goldmine for receivers, right? Well, it’s complicated. Jackson’s scrambling ability and running prowess create unique opportunities, but they also create unique challenges that don’t show up in traditional stats. When Jackson takes off running or gets sacked on a high percentage of plays, those are routes that Bateman ran for nothing. It’s the invisible stat that kills fantasy production, the targets that never come because the quarterback isn’t in the pocket long enough to find his receivers downfield.
Don’t get me wrong, when Jackson and Bateman connect on those deep shots, it’s magic. Jackson’s arm talent and accuracy on deep balls give Bateman chances that many receivers around the league would kill for. But the inconsistency of those opportunities makes fantasy planning nearly impossible. The difference between him and Flowers is that Zay gets schemed up looks in Monken’s scheme.
Here’s the bottom line that’s going to hurt some feelings: Rashod Bateman remains fantasy football’s ultimate tease in 2025. He’s the player who looks incredible on paper, passes the eye test with flying colors, and has all the tools to be a legitimate WR2. Yet he’s also the player who will cost you weeks with disappearing acts that leave you staring at your lineup, wondering what went wrong.
The Hopkins addition doesn’t kill Bateman’s value entirely, but it certainly doesn’t help. In three-receiver sets, we might see both players on the field together, potentially giving Bateman some different looks. But those sets are rare in Baltimore’s offense, and Hopkins’ presence in two-receiver packages is a real concern for Bateman’s already limited snap share.
For redraft leagues, Bateman remains a frustrating proposition. He’s the definition of a bench stash who can win you a week but can’t be trusted as a consistent starter. His ADP will likely reflect this boom-or-bust nature, making him a late-round flier rather than a core contributor.
