Start Rashod Bateman or Jaylin Noel? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Jaylin Noel in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 4.6 points and Jaylin Noel at 4.5, a gap of 0.1. 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 4.6 fantasy points for Rashod Bateman, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Rashod Bateman at 19.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 17% chance to score a touchdown (11, 10 and 14 market sources).

Player markets imply 4.5 fantasy points for Jaylin Noel, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Jaylin Noel at 17.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 17% chance to score a touchdown (8, 6 and 12 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 0.1 points ahead of Jaylin Noel on the market projections.

Injury status

Rashod Bateman is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

Jaylin Noel is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 5

Through Week 4, Rashod Bateman played 76 percent of BAL snaps, drew 15 percent of the targets, earned 21 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Rashod Bateman, Week 1 against IND: 53 of 68 snaps, 1 target and 0 catches for 0 yards.

Rashod Bateman, Week 2 against NO: 54 of 58 snaps, 9 targets and 7 catches for 88 yards, 1 touchdown.

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.

Through Week 4, Jaylin Noel played 45 percent of HOU snaps, drew 9 percent of the targets, earned 10 percent of the air yards and had 0 percent of the red zone chances.

Jaylin Noel, Week 1 against BUF: 24 of 79 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 53 yards.

Jaylin Noel, Week 2 against CIN: 48 of 80 snaps, 1 carry for 13 yards, 5 targets and 1 catch for 31 yards.

Jaylin Noel, Week 3 against IND: 14 of 54 snaps, 1 carry for 8 yards, 2 targets and 2 catches for 17 yards.

Jaylin Noel, Week 4 against DAL: 34 of 55 snaps, 1 carry for 4 yards, 3 targets and 3 catches for 85 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, Jaylin Noel played 17 games for HOU and scored 68.4 PPR points, 4.0 a game, finishing WR91.

He caught 26 of 35 targets for 292 yards and 2 touchdowns, with 5 red zone targets and 193 air yards.

He was on the field for 27 percent of the offense's snaps in the games he played.

Their other Week 5 calls

• Start Brian Thomas Jr. over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Cooper Kupp over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Rashod Bateman over Darnell Mooney.
• Start Jaylin Noel over Darnell Mooney.
• Start Jaylin Noel over Elic Ayomanor.
• Start Jahan Dotson over Jaylin Noel.