Start Rashod Bateman or Xavier Hutchinson? Week 5

Our Week 5 call

Start Rashod Bateman over Xavier Hutchinson in Week 5.

Market-based projections have Rashod Bateman at 4.6 points and Xavier Hutchinson at 4.4, a gap of 0.3. 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 4.4 fantasy points for Xavier Hutchinson, with 100 percent of the markets a WR needs posted.

The market has Xavier Hutchinson at 17.5 receiving yards and 1.5 receptions, with a 16% chance to score a touchdown (8, 6 and 12 market sources).

That puts Rashod Bateman 0.3 points ahead of Xavier Hutchinson on the market projections.

Injury status

Rashod Bateman is listed as questionable with a shoulder injury.

Xavier Hutchinson 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, Xavier Hutchinson played 58 percent of HOU snaps, drew 19 percent of the targets, earned 24 percent of the air yards and had 4 percent of the red zone chances.

Xavier Hutchinson, Week 1 against BUF: 44 of 79 snaps, 6 targets and 3 catches for 32 yards.

Xavier Hutchinson, Week 2 against CIN: 65 of 80 snaps, 9 targets and 3 catches for 37 yards.

Xavier Hutchinson, Week 3 against IND: 29 of 54 snaps, 2 carries for 4 yards, 6 targets and 3 catches for 51 yards.

Xavier Hutchinson, Week 4 against DAL: 17 of 55 snaps, 5 targets and 3 catches for 46 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, Xavier Hutchinson played 17 games for HOU and scored 98.0 PPR points, 5.8 a game, finishing WR64.

He caught 35 of 57 targets for 428 yards and 3 touchdowns, with 6 red zone targets and 282 air yards.

He was on the field for 57 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 Brian Thomas Jr. over Xavier Hutchinson.
• Start Xavier Hutchinson over Darnell Mooney.
• Start Xavier Hutchinson over Elic Ayomanor.