Start Rashod Bateman or Cooper Kupp? Week 8

Updated Oct 28, 1:37 AM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 9 answer posts Tuesday.

Start Rashod Bateman over Cooper Kupp

Start

Rashod Bateman

WR · BAL · at BUF

Market projects: 6.7; fantasy pts
BUF D vs WR: 42.3; most to WRs (2026)
Upside: Rising; 72 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 70%; Through Week 7
Target share: 13%; Through Week 7

Sit

Cooper Kupp

WR · SEA · vs CHI

Market projects: 6.2; recent weeks avg
CHI D vs WR: 29.2; 10th fewest to WRs (2026)
Upside: Moderate; 53 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 68%; Through Week 7
Target share: 13%; Through Week 7

Should I drop Rashod Bateman for Cooper Kupp?

Yes, on the rest of the season. Cooper Kupp projects 56 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.2 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Cooper Kupp. So make the move after his Week 8 game.

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Our Week 8 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Cooper Kupp in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 6.7 points and Cooper Kupp at 6.2, a gap of 0.6. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip. No player market is posted for Cooper Kupp this week yet, so his 6.2 is the average of his market-based projections in Weeks 5, 6 and 7 (6.2, 6.0 and 6.3); the call is rebuilt when his market posts. Drafters take Rashod Bateman at ADP 175 and Cooper Kupp at 186.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 6.7 fantasy points for Rashod Bateman, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Rashod Bateman is 27 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (6, 8 and 10 market sources).

No Week 8 player market is posted for Cooper Kupp yet. His market-based projections were 6.2, 6.0 and 6.3 points in Weeks 5, 6 and 7, an average of 6.2, which stands in until his Week 8 market posts.

The market-based projection for Cooper Kupp is 0.3 touchdowns (8 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 0.6 points ahead of Cooper Kupp on these projections.

Week 8 matchups

Rashod Bateman and BAL visit BUF on Sunday at 1:00 PM ET.

BUF allowed 42.3 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 174 yards and 1.8 touchdowns a game against BUF.

Cooper Kupp and SEA host CHI on Monday at 8:15 PM ET.

CHI allowed 29.2 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the 10th fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 149 yards and 0.9 touchdowns a game against CHI.

By points allowed to the position, Rashod Bateman has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Rashod Bateman is not on the injury report.

Cooper Kupp is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 8

Through Week 7, Rashod Bateman played 70 percent of BAL snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 22 percent of the air yards and had 4 percent of the red zone chances.

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.

Rashod Bateman, Week 7 against CIN: 49 of 67 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 33 yards.

Through Week 7, Cooper Kupp played 68 percent of SEA snaps, drew 13 percent of the targets, earned 14 percent of the air yards and had 3 percent of the red zone chances.

Cooper Kupp, Week 4 against LAC: 34 of 60 snaps, 2 targets and 1 catch for 13 yards.

Cooper Kupp, Week 5 against SF: 51 of 63 snaps, 3 targets and 2 catches for 15 yards.

Cooper Kupp, Week 6 against DEN: 72 of 85 snaps, 10 targets and 5 catches for 50 yards.

Cooper Kupp, Week 7 against KC: 45 of 69 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 20 yards.

Their 2025 seasons

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.

In 2025, Cooper Kupp played 16 games for SEA and scored 117.3 PPR points, 7.3 a game, finishing WR53.

He caught 47 of 70 targets for 593 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 12 red zone targets and 300 air yards.

He was on the field for 76 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 8 calls

Locks at kickoff, graded after. When the start/sit engine grades week 8, the call and the result appear on the public record, wrong ones included.

Drop or keep

Should I drop Rashod Bateman for Cooper Kupp?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Cooper Kupp projects 56 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.2 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Cooper Kupp. So make the move after his Week 8 game.
Should I drop Cooper Kupp for Rashod Bateman?
No. Keep Cooper Kupp: he projects 56 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.2 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Cooper Kupp.

Should I drop Cooper Kupp?