Start Jalen Royals or Rashod Bateman? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Jalen Royals over Rashod Bateman in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Jalen Royals at 5.7 points and Rashod Bateman at 4.6, a gap of 1.0. That is inside the noise of a single catch, so treat it as close to a coin flip.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 5.7 fantasy points for Jalen Royals, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Jalen Royals is 20 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (11, 12 and 11 market sources).

Player markets imply 4.6 fantasy points for Rashod Bateman, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Rashod Bateman is 20 receiving yards, 1-2 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (3, 4 and 12 market sources).

That puts Jalen Royals 1.0 points ahead of Rashod Bateman on the market projections.

Week 7 matchups

Jalen Royals and KC visit SEA on Sunday at 8:20 PM ET.

SEA allowed 22.7 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 2nd fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 101 yards and 0.7 touchdowns a game against SEA.

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, Rashod Bateman has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Jalen Royals is not on the injury report.

Rashod Bateman is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Jalen Royals played 42 percent of KC snaps, drew 7 percent of the targets, earned 6 percent of the air yards and had 4 percent of the red zone chances.

Jalen Royals, Week 2 against IND: 12 of 80 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 6 yards, 1 touchdown.

Jalen Royals, Week 3 against MIA: 10 of 52 snaps, 1 target and 1 catch for 11 yards.

Jalen Royals, Week 4 against LV: 38 of 60 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Jalen Royals, Week 6 against LAC: 45 of 61 snaps, 4 targets and 2 catches for 24 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, Jalen Royals played 7 games for KC and scored 2.4 PPR points, 0.3 a game.

He caught 2 of 3 targets for 4 yards and 0 touchdowns, with 0 red zone targets and 0 air yards.

He was on the field for 9 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 Adonai Mitchell over Jalen Royals.
• Start Jalen Royals over Brycen Tremayne.
• Start Cooper Kupp over Jalen Royals.
• Start Adonai Mitchell over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Brycen Tremayne over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Rashod Bateman over Calvin Ridley.