Start Calvin Ridley or Rashod Bateman? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Calvin Ridley in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 4.7 points and Calvin Ridley at 1.9, a gap of 2.8. Drafters take Rashod Bateman at ADP 175 and Calvin Ridley at 168.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 2.0 fantasy points for Calvin Ridley, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Calvin Ridley is 9 receiving yards, 0-1 receptions and 0.1 touchdowns (6, 7 and 11 market sources).

Player markets imply 4.7 fantasy points for Rashod Bateman, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Rashod Bateman is 21 receiving yards, 1-2 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (10, 11 and 12 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 2.8 points ahead of Calvin Ridley on the market projections.

Week 7 matchups

Calvin Ridley and TEN host CLE on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CLE allowed 33.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 12th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 155 yards and 1.2 touchdowns a game against CLE.

Rashod Bateman and BAL host CIN on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

CIN allowed 29.5 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 5 games, the 9th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 123 yards and a touchdown a game against CIN.

By points allowed to the position, Calvin Ridley has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Calvin Ridley is listed as questionable with a hip injury.

Rashod Bateman is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Calvin Ridley played 53 percent of TEN snaps, drew 6 percent of the targets, earned 7 percent of the air yards and had 2 percent of the red zone chances.

Calvin Ridley, Week 3 against NYG: 20 of 60 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Calvin Ridley, Week 4 against BAL: 30 of 64 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 13 yards.

Calvin Ridley, Week 5 against HOU: 35 of 63 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 33 yards.

Calvin Ridley, Week 6 against IND: 28 of 46 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Through Week 6, Rashod Bateman played 70 percent of BAL snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 20 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Rashod Bateman, Week 3 against DAL: 56 of 64 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 37 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 4 against TEN: 30 of 64 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 46 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 5 against ATL: 61 of 76 snaps, 6 targets and 5 catches for 62 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 6 against CLE: 17 of 57 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

In 2025, Calvin Ridley played 7 games for TEN and scored 47.3 PPR points, 6.8 a game, finishing WR116.

He caught 17 of 36 targets for 303 yards and 0 touchdowns, with 1 red zone target and 219 air yards.

He was on the field for 58 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

In 2025, Rashod Bateman played 13 games for BAL and scored 55.4 PPR points, 4.3 a game, finishing WR102.

He caught 19 of 38 targets for 224 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 8 red zone targets and 185 air yards.

He was on the field for 69 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 7 calls

• Start Calvin Ridley over Bo Melton.
• Start Brycen Tremayne over Calvin Ridley.
• Start Cody White over Calvin Ridley.
• Start Adonai Mitchell over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Brycen Tremayne over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Rashod Bateman over Cody White.