Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Sammy Watkins has officially been ruled of Sunday’s huge Week 6 matchup against the Los Angeles Chargers with a hamstring injury. The wideout had been held out of practice all week with the ailment and his status was officially finalized on Friday afternoon.
No definitive timetable on the return of Ravens WR Sammy Watkins, who is ruled out for Sunday's game against the Chargers.
— Jamison Hensley (@jamisonhensley) October 15, 2021
"He could be back next week. He could be back the week after," coach John Harbaugh said. "It just depends on how quickly the hamstring heals."
#Ravens rookie WR Rashod Bateman is expected to make his NFL debut on Sunday, per HC John Harbaugh.
— Doug Kyed (@DougKyed) October 15, 2021
WR Sammy Watkins will be out.
Watkins had made a modest impact in his first year with the organization, emerging as the Ravens’ third receiving option through the first five games of the season. He caught 18 of 32 targets for 292 yards, leading the team in yards per catch with 16.2. This is certainly a blow for the Ravens, as they’d prefer to have all their offensive weapons in the arsenal when engaging in a critical AFC battle.
Fantasy football implications
Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews are the top two options for Lamar Jackson regardless but Watkins’ absence increases the fantasy value for both Devin Duvernay and rookie Rashod Bateman. Duvernay has 10 receptions and a touchdown on the season while the 2021 first-round pick Bateman will have an opportunity to show his skills in his NFL debut after being sidelined with an injury.