Start Makai Lemon or Rashod Bateman? Week 7

Our Week 7 call

Start Makai Lemon over Rashod Bateman in Week 7.

Market-based projections have Makai Lemon at 9.8 points and Rashod Bateman at 4.6, a gap of 5.2. Drafters take Makai Lemon at ADP 140 and Rashod Bateman at 175.

What the market projects

Player markets imply 9.8 fantasy points for Makai Lemon, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market-based projection for Makai Lemon is 38 receiving yards, 4-5 receptions and 0.3 touchdowns (10, 6 and 12 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 (11, 12 and 12 market sources).

That puts Makai Lemon 5.2 points ahead of Rashod Bateman on the market projections.

Week 7 matchups

Makai Lemon and PHI host DAL on Monday at 8:15 PM ET.

DAL allowed 36.2 fantasy points a game to WRs this season over 6 games, the 7th most in the league.

Receivers caught passes for 169 yards and a touchdown a game against DAL.

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, Makai Lemon has the softer matchup.

Injury status

Makai Lemon is not on the injury report.

Rashod Bateman is not on the injury report.

Usage before Week 7

Through Week 6, Makai Lemon played 72 percent of PHI snaps, drew 15 percent of the targets, earned 10 percent of the air yards and had 0 percent of the red zone chances.

Makai Lemon, Week 3 against CHI: 35 of 50 snaps, 4 targets and 3 catches for 29 yards.

Makai Lemon, Week 4 against LAR: 45 of 61 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 27 yards.

Makai Lemon, Week 5 against JAX: 50 of 62 snaps, 7 targets and 5 catches for 43 yards.

Makai Lemon, Week 6 against CAR: 52 of 64 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 19 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, 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 Makai Lemon over Adonai Mitchell.
• Start Makai Lemon over Brycen Tremayne.
• Start Carnell Tate over Makai Lemon.
• Start Adonai Mitchell over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Brycen Tremayne over Rashod Bateman.
• Start Rashod Bateman over Calvin Ridley.