2023 Injury Breakdowns: Wide Receivers Returning from Injury

Every NFL season comes with star players finding their way onto season-ending IR and question marks through the off-season and preseason as they near the following season. This series discusses key details in the player’s current recovery tract and injury projections for the 2023 seasons and for their dynasty value.

Let’s dive in.

Rashod Bateman, WR BAL

Bateman has been in hot water with the Ravens this off-season, seemingly calling out his GM to keep the Ravens players healthy and being frustrated about his usage. Word got out that he required a cortisone injection during OTAs, reportedly due to having the hardware removed from his Lisfranc surgery and dealing with residual inflammation and irritation. This can be fairly common after hardware is removed due to having a gap in the bones where the hardware was resting, and that bone filling in (callous) over time. If the tissue is loaded or stressed too quickly and too much, it can become irritated. Thus, the Ravens shut him down for several weeks. However, the original rumor was that he would still be ready for camp, but he has been placed on PUP and is not ready to participate at this time. The unpredictable factor involving PUP is that players can be removed/activated at any time, so maybe he is ready in a few days. Only time will tell, but at this current time I’m more concerned than not about Bateman’s production for 2023. We already know there is a typical 10-20% production dip in year one off of Lisfranc fracture, and now if he misses a significant chunk of time in camp, he is further behind for the season. Exercise caution.

Odell Beckham Jr, WR BAL

Speaking of Ravens' wide receivers, many are writing OBJ off after his injury-riddled career continued with a second ACL tear in the same knee. I know it’s not easy, but we have to consider this as his first successful ACL reconstruction, one that has him 1.5 years out from surgery and returning to form. He took his time with this rehab process (unlike the first time around) and has been working with Lamar Jackson almost daily since signing with the Ravens to build rapport. Will his athleticism be what it once was? Unlikely, but this is a smart, savvy veteran who knows all the tricks in the book to defeat the cornerback across from him. There is a realistic chance that Beckham not only plays 17 games this season, but actually leads the Ravens in receiving outside of Mark Andrews. He’s going in the WR50 range. Invest at cost, it’s worth the risk.

Michael Thomas, WR NO