5 breakout fantasy football stars to pick up for Week 15

2. Top Week 15 fantasy football pickups – Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman

Fantasy owners have been waiting for Rashod Bateman to put up a breakout performance all season long. The 2021 first-round pick has shown flashes since being activated from injured reserve but was frustratingly targeted just once last week by Lamar Jackson, leading some owners to drop Bateman.

That decision may have been hasty since Bateman delivered his best game as a pro in Week 14, recording seven catches for 103 yards against the Browns. Bateman was targeted eight times on the afternoon and formed a nice connection with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, who took over after Jackson was ruled out for the day with an ankle injury.

An injury to the starting quarterback would normally be a big concern for a wide receiver but Bateman’s talent, when combined with Jackson’s recent struggles as a passer, make this situation an exception. The Ravens do like to run the football first, which is a concern here, but Bateman has demonstrated why Baltimore made it a point to take him late in the first round as a potential complement to Hollywood Brown on the outside.

Bateman is rostered in just 36 percent of Yahoo leagues, making him the top wide receiver pickup of the week. Baltimore also has a heavyweight matchup with Green Bay on tap for Week 15, which could help Bateman end up in a positive game script for fantasy purposes.