Week 3 Fantasy Football Start ‘Em, Sit ‘Em: Rashod Bateman vs. Jalen Coker

Going over who to start in fantasy football between Baltimore Ravens WR Rashod Bateman and Carolina Panthers WR Jalen Coker.

Sep 20, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) celebrates after scoring a touchdown in the second quarter against the New Orleans Saints at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: James Lang-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

There is a group of WRs with high ceilings going into Week 3 of fantasy football, and two of those players are WRs for the Baltimore Ravens, Rashod Bateman, and WR for the Carolina Panthers, Jalen Coker. With that, here is a breakdown of which WR fantasy managers should put in their starting lineup this week between the two.

Jalen Coker

Sep 13, 2026; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker (18) scores a touchdown in the second half against the Chicago Bears at Bank of America Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Coker through two weeks has been one of the biggest breakouts in fantasy, based on where his ADP was coming into the 2026 season. He currently has 16 receptions for 204 yards and two TDs, helping him be WR5 currently in fantasy in PPR formats. In Week 3, he and the Panthers will take on the Cleveland Browns.

The Browns have had a high and low outing regarding their passing defense’s performance in two games. Against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 1, they allowed WR Parker Washington to record five receptions for 83 yards and a TD, in a 34-10 win. He could have had a much bigger performance if the game was closer. The Jaguars only attempted five passes in the second half.  Against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2, they held their WR1, Emeka Egbuka, to three receptions for 16 yards and a TD. 

In 2025, Cleveland allowed the fourth-fewest PPR fantasy points to WRs.

Rashod Bateman

Nov 9, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Rashod Bateman (7) salutes the crowd after his two-point conversion against the Minnesota Vikings in the fourth quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Bateman stepped up in a big way for the Ravens in Week 2 with their WR1 Zay Flowers out with an injury. He recorded seven receptions on nine targets for 88 yards and a TD. For the week in fantasy in PPR formats, he was WR9. Baltimore may need a similar outing in Week 3 against the Dallas Cowboys, with Flowers' snap count uncertain.

The Cowboys' passing defense looks to be somewhat improved from a season ago. In 2025, they were allowing the most passing yards per game in the NFL, 251.5. Through two games in 2026, they are allowing the 18th fewest. They have also done a solid job at defending the opposing team’s WR1. New York Giants WR1 in Week 1, Malik Nabers, had six receptions for 69 yards against them. In Week 2, Washington Commanders WR1 Terry McLaurin had two receptions for 50 yards.

Final Verdict

When it comes to who should start and who should sit between Bateman and Coker in Week 3 in fantasy football, Coker should start, and Bateman should sit.

Coker has been too good thus far in 2026 to warrant sitting him out. His fantasy floor feels higher than Bateman's for Week 3 with the volume he has received early on this season. He has 18 targets, which is tied for the most on the team with Carolina WR1 Tetairoa McMillan. 

Bateman is still a good starting option, but banking on him having a better fantasy outing than Coker, coming off a 2025 season where he did not have a single game with over 70 receiving yards, is just too big an ask. Especially if Flowers plays any sort of role in the game.