Start Rashod Bateman or Kalif Raymond? Week 8

Updated Oct 27, 9:11 PM ET. Locks at kickoff, graded after. Week 9 answer posts Tuesday.

Start Rashod Bateman over Kalif Raymond

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

Kalif Raymond

WR · CHI · at SEA

Market projects: 5.9; fantasy pts
SEA D vs WR: 20.9; fewest to WRs (2026)
Upside: Limited; 2 of 100 at WR
Snap share: 61%; Through Week 7
Target share: 14%; Through Week 7

Should I drop Rashod Bateman for Kalif Raymond?

Yes, on the rest of the season. Kalif Raymond projects 59 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.5 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Kalif Raymond, 6.7 to 5.9 projected PPR points. So make the move after his Week 8 game.

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Our Week 8 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Kalif Raymond in Week 8.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 6.7 points and Kalif Raymond at 5.9, a gap of 0.8. 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 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).

Player markets imply 5.9 fantasy points for Kalif Raymond, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Kalif Raymond is 23 receiving yards, 2-3 receptions and 0.2 touchdowns (11, 11 and 8 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 0.8 points ahead of Kalif Raymond on the market 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.

Kalif Raymond and CHI visit SEA on Monday at 8:15 PM ET.

SEA allowed 20.9 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 7 games, the fewest in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 92 yards and 0.6 touchdowns a game against SEA.

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

Injury status

Rashod Bateman is not on the injury report.

Kalif Raymond 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, Kalif Raymond played 61 percent of CHI snaps, drew 14 percent of the targets, earned 11 percent of the air yards and had 5 percent of the red zone chances.

Kalif Raymond, Week 4 against NYJ: 47 of 93 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 6 yards.

Kalif Raymond, Week 5 against GB: 47 of 69 snaps, 1 carry for -2 yards, 4 targets and 3 catches for 6 yards.

Kalif Raymond, Week 6 against ATL: 36 of 77 snaps, 2 targets and 2 catches for 18 yards.

Kalif Raymond, Week 7 against NE: 48 of 69 snaps, 2 targets and 0 catches for 0 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, Kalif Raymond played 15 games for DET and scored 66.8 PPR points, 4.5 a game, finishing WR94.

He caught 24 of 30 targets for 289 yards and 1 touchdown, with 2 red zone targets and 132 air yards.

He was on the field for 38 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 Kalif Raymond?
Yes, on the rest of the season. Kalif Raymond projects 59 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.5 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Kalif Raymond, 6.7 to 5.9 projected PPR points. So make the move after his Week 8 game.
Should I drop Kalif Raymond for Rashod Bateman?
No. Keep Kalif Raymond: he projects 59 market-implied PPR points from Week 8 through Week 17 (6.5 a game over 9 games), Rashod Bateman 50 (5.6 a game over 9 games). For Week 8 the call starts Rashod Bateman over Kalif Raymond, 6.7 to 5.9 projected PPR points.

Should I drop Kalif Raymond?