Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson will have to deal with a major lineup adjustment in his Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers.
Jackson's No. 2 wide receiver, Sammy Watkins, has been ruled out of Sunday's game due to a hamstring issue, per ESPN's Jamison Henley.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh said he “would probably expect” rookie Rashod Bateman to replace Watkins. It will mark the NFL debut for Bateman, who was drafted No. 27 overall in the 2021 NFL Draft.
Watkins is the Ravens' third-leading receiver, trailing Marquise Brown and tight end Mark Andrews. Through five games, the veteran has accrued 292 yards on 18 receptions (32 targets). James Proche II and Devin Duvernay are the only other wideouts to amass over 100 yards for Baltimore this season.
Watkins injured his hamstring during the first half of Baltimore's Monday night OT win vs. the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5. He did not practice with the team all week and there is no timetable for his return.
“He could be back next week. He could be back the week after,” Harbaugh said. “It just depends on how quickly the hamstring heals.”
Watkins has missed 26 games over the past six seasons.
Bateman tore his right groin on Aug. 10. He's participated in practice for the past three weeks.
“I don't think we're going to throw him into the fire for every play; I think we're going to build him into the plan on a week-to-week basis,” Ravens OC Greg Roman said. “Rashod is going to have a long and fruitful career, and this is just the first step.”
Adjust your fantasy lineups accordingly.
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