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John Bates is a fantasy football waiver wire pickup option for tight ends. Target him as a free agent add off waivers for Week 18 of the 2021 NFL season.
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ANALYSIS: 6'6, 259-lb. tight end John Bates had a total of 579 receiving yards and two touchdowns in 23 games over four seasons at Boise State, and despite that limited sample ended up getting drafted in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft by the Washington Football Team, and with the absences of Logan Thomas and the reduced role of Ricky Seals-Jones, Bates has gotten in on the action of an impressive rookie tight end class.
After seeing little playing time for the first eight weeks of the season, the WFT need at TE called for a gradual expansion of Bates' on-field role, and since their week thirteen matchup against the Raiders, he has combined for ten catches on 14 targets for 170 yards and his first career touchdown, with an offensive snap count of 34-58 (57%-92%). Going into Washington's week eighteen matchup against the down-and-out New York Giants, they might not have a lot to play for, but it's a great opportunity to see what your burgeoning rookies can do in a low-stakes setting. With the best showing of his rookie campaign potentially looming under the circumstances, John Bates makes for a dangerous addition in deeper formats.
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