John Bates 2026 fantasy outlook and rest-of-season projection
- Age
- 28
- Height / weight
- 6'6", 256 lb
- Experience
- 6th season
- Drafted
- 2021 R4, #124
2026 Season
- PPR PPG
- 1.7
- Pos rank
- TE56
- Rostered
- —
Week 4 vs. Colts, Sun Oct 4, 9:30 AM ET 7th vs. TEs, favorable
John Bates Rest-of-Season Outlook
depth TE for deep leagues only
Preseason Projection vs. Reality
He finished TE69 last season at 1.8 points per game.
Our Take After Week 4
Through 3 games he's TE56 at 1.7 PPR points per game, against 1.8 over 15 games last season (TE69). The role is producing the same fantasy output two years running.
Last season he ranked 50th of 81 in route participation (34.2%), 59th of 82 in target share (3.7%) and 71st of 82 in efficiency (0.60 yards per route run). Efficiency is the soft spot. Jayden Daniels is his quarterback.
He's TE2 on the depth chart, so his value depends on the players ahead of him.
The next favorable matchup is the Colts in Week 4 (7th against TEs).
Read our preseason outlook (June 2026)
Published June 17, 2026. Kept for reference; the take above replaces it.
Bates is paid to block, and the receiving numbers say exactly that. Across 2025 he ran just 171 routes on a 34.2% route share, drawing only 16 targets for a 3.7% team target share and a microscopic 0.064 WOPR. He turned that into 11 grabs for 103 yards and a score, and the efficiency was actually sharp where it counted: 0.488 EPA per play, a 62.5% success rate, and 6.18 yards after the catch per reception. The problem is the funnel, not the hands. With a 0.6 yards-per-route mark and three air yards per target, there is no path to fantasy volume.
The broader picture confirms it. He sits buried on the depth chart with no expanded role on the horizon, and projections topping out near 18 catches, 174 yards, and a couple of scores leave him as a low-end TE3 going essentially undrafted. He stays a blocking-first body to leave on the wire until something opens up.
What Drives His Outlook
His 2025 rank among the 81 tight ends who played at least six games. Each bar is one tight end, best on the left; his is highlighted.
Route participation
Target share
Efficiency
- Average depth of target
- 3.0
- Drop rate
- 6.2%
- Red-zone targets
- 2
- Route participation
- 34.2%
- YAC per reception
- 6.2
What Could Change His Value
Upside
- A soft spotThe Colts in Week 4 is a top-10 matchup for TEs.Wk 4 IND, 7thWk 5 NYG, 17thWk 6 SF, 21stWk 8 PHI, 32nd
Risk
- RoleHe's TE2 on the depth chart.
- Low target share3.7% target share, 59th of 82 TEs in 2025.
- A tough matchupThe Eagles in Week 8 (32nd) is among the stingiest defenses against TEs.
All John Bates stats & analysis
TEs like John Bates
John Bates Fantasy Outlook FAQ
What is John Bates's fantasy outlook for the rest of the 2026 season?
John Bates projects as a depth TE for deep leagues only for the rest of the 2026 season: a bench stash in TE-premium leagues and waiver-wire material in 12-team and 10-team leagues. His efficiency (0.60 yards per route run, 71st of 82 TEs in 2025) holds him back. See his live rank in Redraft Command.
What is John Bates's rest-of-season fantasy ranking?
John Bates is the TE56 in PPR points per game through Week 4. That puts him in depth TE territory, waiver-wire material in 12-team leagues.
What is John Bates's projected role going forward?
John Bates is TE2 on the depth chart, so a bigger role needs an injury or a change ahead of him.
Will John Bates get more targets?
John Bates's targets are holding steady: 0.5 a game over his last two games against 1.3 for the season. His share of the offense is what his fantasy value rides on.
What is John Bates's fantasy football upside?
John Bates's upside: his ceiling this season is 3.3 PPR points (Week 1, TE39) and the Colts in Week 4 is a top-10 matchup for TEs.
What could hurt John Bates's fantasy value?
John Bates's risks: his efficiency (0.60 yards per route run, 71st of 82 TEs in 2025) limits his scoring and the Eagles in Week 8 is a tough matchup. See his injury status and history.
How difficult is John Bates's remaining fantasy schedule?
About average: of his next seven games, 2 come against a top-10 matchup for TEs and 2 against one of the stingiest defenses, by PPR points allowed to the position.