Fantasy Football Player Notes

Since being drafted by the Ravens, Brown was miscast in the go-to receiver role for them, something that was righted this offseason when the team drafted Rashod Bateman, who makes a great complement to Brown. While it was a great move for the Ravens from a football perspective, it will impact Brown's target total. He likely won't see the 100 targets he saw in 2020, though his targets should be a bit more impactful. Expect him to be somewhat of a boom-or-bust receiver, making him a WR4-type option.

Bateman suffered a groin injury in camp, has undergone surgery, and should return "sometime in September." That makes him someone to largely ignore in redraft leagues. But long-term, there's plenty to like. "He's good, sure, but the offense is run-first and doesn't have a lot of volume. He's a rookie wide receiver, they take time to develop. He's not the No. 1 target on his team." We said those exact same things about Justin Jefferson last year and look what happened. From the moment I started watching Bateman's film, I was instantly reminded of Keenan Allen. A receiver who may not be an elite athlete, but one who continually got open due to intelligence and route running. When he's healthy, he should be lined up all over the formation, including the slot, becoming Lamar Jackson's favorite target as a possession-style receiver while Marquise Brown plays the field-stretching role. There's a scenario where Bateman is an every-week WR2/3 option once he returns from his injury.

There was a time where people were excited about what Boykin might bring to the table. That time has passed, as he's now entering his third season with just 32 receptions under his belt. He's actually performed solid on a per-target basis, but his opportunity is gone with the additions of Rashod Bateman, Sammy Watkins, and Tylan Wallace to the wide receiver depth chart. He wasn't fantasy relevant without them, so he sure as heck won't be with them.