Maybe you’ve heard by now, or maybe you haven’t. Regardless, I should let you all know of the unfortunate fantasy football injury news that hit social media this afternoon — Baltimore Ravens head coach John Harbaugh announced that second-year wide receiver Rashod Bateman will undergo Lisfranc surgery, which will end his 2022-23 season.
Bateman missed multiple games this season as he battled the injury week in and week out. Now, he’ll focus on being ready for next season.
But how do you, the fantasy football manager with Bateman on your roster, shift your focus with very much of the real-life and fantasy season remaining? Lucky for you, Bateman’s 2022 production can be replaced by a few players that might be in your league’s waivers.
Brutal: #Ravens WR Rashod Bateman will undergo season-ending Lisfranc surgery, John Harbaugh announced.
— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) November 3, 2022
Staying in Baltimore, you might want to take a look at wide receiver Devin Duvernay if he’s available. I’m not sure how many more targets he’ll get or passes he’ll catch, but you have to figure the ravens will figure out a way to get the football in his hands more frequently — he’s probably the team’s most explosive player.
But that’s where I’d end things in Baltimore and begin looking around the league. One name that comes to mind is Chase Claypool, who was recently traded from Pittsburgh to Chicago and could potentially find success in the way he did as a rookie.
Another receiver you could invest in is Washington’s Curtis Samuel. He’s got three games this season with more than 10.0 points in half-PPR leagues and has fantasy value as a WR2 in the Commanders’ offense.
Finally, it may be worth taking a flier on Jets wide receiver Garrett Wilson. The rookie has run hot and cold this season but has shown the ability to have some really big games. With a ton of uncertainty in the receiver room over in New York, he’s in a good spot, and you may be in a better one if you trust him.