Bates caught 19 of 28 passes for 151 yards in 17 games during the 2023 season.
The 2021 fourth-round pick has finished each of his three pro seasons with between 22 and 28 targets and 14 and 20 receptions, and around 500 snaps. Bates hasn't shown the pass-catching chops to make a fantasy impact, and he now faces some uncertainty entering the final year of his rookie contract as the Commanders bring in a new coaching staff.
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Commanders' John Bates: Pass-catching role trending down
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Bates failed to corral his lone target while playing 25 of the Commanders' 55 snaps on offense in Sunday's 45-15 loss to the Dolphins.
Bates has now been held without a reception over Washington's past two contests, after having previously produced a 7-48-0 receiving line on nine targets over the preceding five games. The third-year player continues to see snap shares over 40 percent most weeks, but he looks as though he'll function mainly as a blocker on the field while Logan Thomas operates as Washington's top pass-catching tight end.
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Commanders' John Bates: Draws no targets Week 6
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Bates went without a target across 20 snaps on offense Sunday in the Commanders' 24-16 win over the Falcons.
Quarterback Sam Howell didn't look to involve his tight ends in Week 6, as the trio of Logan Thomas, Bates and Cole Turner combined for just one target across 69 offensive snaps. Thomas continues to dominate the playing time among the position group, and so long as he's healthy, Bates will be in store for a minor role. In the four games that Thomas has played without exiting early due to injury, Bates has drawn just three total targets.
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Commanders' John Bates: Catches both targets
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Bates caught both his targets for 19 yards in Thursday's 40-20 loss to Chicago.
Bates mostly works as a blocker even when starting tight end Logan Thomas misses time, with Cole Turner being the replacement on passing downs. Thomas played in this one and led the team with a 9-77-1 receiving line, as Sam Howell continues to pepper his TEs with short targets over the middle and in the flats.
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Commanders' John Bates: Targeted twice
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Bates caught both of his targets for 12 yards in Sunday's 37-3 loss to Buffalo.
Bates took 57 percent of snaps on offense, the same as Cole Turner, who finished with a 3-35-0 receiving line on a team-high seven targets. There's not much fantasy appeal with Bates for Week 4 at Philadelphia, as he'll be the blocking-focused TE in a timeshare even if Logan Thomas (concussion) misses another game.
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Commanders' John Bates: Held catchless
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Bates finished with one target and no receptions in Monday's preseason win over Baltimore.
With Logan Thomas (calf) sidelined, Cole Turner worked as the primary tight end on the first-team offense, while Bates played a few snaps and mostly blocked. There's not much hope for significant receiving production, but Bates at least figures to have a blocking role for the third straight year since Washington made him a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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Commanders' John Bates: Quiet second season
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Bates finished the 2022 season with 14 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets in 16 games.
The 2021 fourth-round pick mostly served as a blocker, playing no fewer than 20 offensive snaps and no more than 45 in his 16 appearances. Bates had 249 receiving yards as a rookie and could perhaps have a larger role in 2023, but he'll likely always be used as a blocker first and foremost, given his 6-6, 259-pound frame and lack of speed.
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Commanders' John Bates: Blanked on stat sheet
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Bates was not targeted in Sunday's 20-20 tie against the Giants.
Bates played 45 of the team's offensive snaps, but he failed to tally any stats. It was just the third time in 12 contests the second-year pro failed to see a target, and the sixth time he's gone without a reception. After a Week 14 bye, Bates will work to get on the stat sheet Week 15 in a rematch with the Giants.
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Commanders' John Bates: Scores second NFL touchdown
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Bates caught three of four targets for 24 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's 19-13 win over Atlanta.
Bates handled his usual role as Washington's in-line tight end, though it came with more snaps (58 percent) than usual in a run-heavy contest. Logan Thomas still ran most of the routes and got most of the snaps on passing downs, so Bates isn't a great bet to repeat the production Week 13 against the Giants.
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Commanders' John Bates: Serves primarily as blocker Week 10
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Bates failed to draw a target during Monday's 32-21 win over the Eagles.
Bates was on the field for 41 of Washington's 83 snaps on offense in the upset victory, with his 49 percent share representing his highest mark since Week 5. It's worth noting that Bates ran just eight routes on the night, as the Commanders implemented a run-heavy game plan that often featured Bates sharing the field with top tight end Logan Thomas. On the occasions the Commanders are looking to pass, Thomas is still expected to rank ahead of Bates as the team's preferred option at tight end.
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Commanders' John Bates: Targeted once
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Bates played 33 percent of offensive snaps and caught his lone target for a six-yard gain in a 17-16 win over Indianapolis on Sunday.
Bates finished third among the Washington tight ends in snap share with Logan Thomas returning from a three-game absence. All three were bunched fairly close together, with Thomas at 56 percent and Armani Rogers at 36 percent. Bates is probably the least intersting from a fantasy standpoint, as he ran the fewest routes and spent most of his afternoon blocking. He's unlikely to see more than a target or two Week 9 against the Vikings.
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Commanders' John Bates: Not targeted in win
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Bates wasn't targeted Sunday against the Packers, playing 23 snaps on offense (31 percent) in a 23-21 win.
Armani Rogers led the TEs with a 51 percent snap share and three catches, while Cole Turner was targeted twice (both incomplete) before leaving with a concussion. Bates was listed as questionable after missing the previous game with a hamstring injury, and it's possible that contributed to his diminished role relative to previous games that Logan Thomas (calf) has missed. It's possible all three of Thomas, Bates and Turner show up on the Week 8 injury report ahead of a road game against the Colts.
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Commanders' John Bates: Back against Packers
Rotowire
Bates (hamstring) is active Week 7 against Green Bay.
The Commanders were without both Bates and Logan Thomas (calf) last week against Chicago, and while Thomas remains inactive, Bates will be back in action. The last time Thomas was out and Bates was active -- Week 5 against Tennessee -- Bates led the position group with a 58.6 percent snap share, though he was targeted only three times in that contest.
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Commanders' John Bates: Possible game-time call
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Bates (hamstring) is listed as questionable for Sunday's game against Green Bay, John Keim of ESPN.com reports.
Coach Ron Rivera told reporters Bates had a good day of practice Friday and has a chance to play heading into the weekend. With Logan Thomas (calf) out for a third straight game and Bates in danger of a second consecutive absence, rookie Cole Turner could have another shot at extended playing time, though Rivera also mentioned using FB Alex Armah more. Last week, Bates injured his hamstring in pregame warmups, which was too late for the Commanders to alter their plans for which players would be active/inactive. The tight end now looks like a game-time decision ahead of a 1:00 p.m. ET kickoff Sunday.
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Commanders' John Bates: Sitting Thursday
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Bates (hamstring) did not practice Thursday, ESPN's John Keim reports.
Bates missed Wednesday's practice as well, meaning his availability for Week 7 is in substantial question going into Friday's practice. He suffered the injury shortly before Washington's Thursday game in Week 6, so he's been out for one week at this point. If Bates can't play against Green Bay on Sunday then Washington might need to rely on Cole Turner and Armani Rogers again, though neither has the blocking ability that Bates normally provides.
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Commanders' John Bates: Still bothered by hammy
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Bates (hamstring) isn't practicing Wednesday, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Bates hurt his hamstring during pregame warmups last Thursday, allowing rookie Cole Turner to play 93 percent of the snaps on offense in a win over Chicago. With both Bates and Logan Thomas (calf) missing practice to start the week, Turner could have another big opportunity this Sunday against the Packers while catching passes from Taylor Heinicke, who will step in under center for injured starting quarterback Carson Wentz (finger).
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Commanders' John Bates: Could start Thursday
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Bates could make another start Thursday against the Bears with fellow tight end Logan Thomas (calf) ruled out for a second straight game.
Bates handled a three-down role a few times late last season when Thomas was out, but in the Week 5 loss to the Titans, the Commanders often subbed in Cole Turner for obvious passing situations. As a result, Bates was limited to playing 59 percent of snaps, though he reeled in his three targets for 39 yards. Meanwhile, Turner finished without a catch on three targets and 32 snaps (51 percent).
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Commanders' John Bates: Catches three passes in start
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Bates caught each of his three targets for 39 yards in Sunday's 21-17 loss to Tennessee.
Bates filled in for Logan Thomas (calf) as the starter but played only 59 percent of snaps, slightly more than third-string TE Cole Turner, who logged 51 percent and finished without a catch on three targets. Turner got a lot of the playing time in obvious passing situations in his NFL debut, and he might get that chance again Week 6 against the Bears if Thomas isn't ready.
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Commanders' John Bates: Racks up 19 receiving yards
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Bates secured four of six targets for 19 yards during the Commanders' 25-10 loss to the Cowboys on Sunday.
Bates has struggled to get involved in Washington's passing game early in the 2022 campaign, but he drew a season-high six targets Week 4 and was tied with starting tight end Logan Thomas in terms of receiving yards. In spite of Bates' increased involvement Sunday, the 2021 fourth-rounder has been an unreliable fantasy option early this season.
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Commanders' John Bates: Stuck behind Thomas
Rotowire
Bates caught two of three targets for 15 yards in Sunday's 36-27 loss to the Lions, playing 32 percent of snaps on offense.
Bates saw more snaps Week 1 (55 percent) but was targeted just once. He's unlikely to see many passes as the No. 2 tight end behind Logan Thomas, who played 62 and 73 percent of snaps the first two weeks (with 11 targets) after suffering an ACL tear in the middle of last season. With Thomas seemingly healthy, Bates figures to handle a minor role again Week 3 against the Eagles.
