Sammy Watkins Reunited With Greg Roman, 2021 Fantasy Outlook Rises After Rashod Bateman Injury

It's time for Sammy Watkins to put it all together and become an Alpha WR1.

We all know it’s ideal to own Sammy Watkins strictly for the automatic Week 1 win. No, seriously. Watkins racked up 18 points in Week 1 last season after hitting FORTY-TWO fantasy points to open up the 2019 season. Now with the Ravens and reunited with Greg Roman, Watkins is looking to replicate his 2015 career season that occurred under Roman in Buffalo. So far as a member of the Ravens, Watkins looks like his former self as he battles for target totem pole supremacy.

Unfortunately for Lamar Jackson and the passing offense, rookie sensation Rashod Bateman exited Tuesday’s practice with what looked like a brutal groin injury. The exact timetable for return is currently unknown, but it now clears the path for Watkins to lead the wide receiver group for at least “a number of weeks.”

Watkins is hoping the move to the Ravens will rejuvenate his career after the Chiefs underutilized Watkins as a decoy in their high-powered offense.

“I honestly feel like I’m going to have one of my best years,” Watkins said. “I’m lifting the weights. I have great coaches coaching me. And my mentality is totally different. I’m trying to get the ball on every play. In Kansas City, I looked at it like, ‘I’ll play my role. Let me open Tyreek Hill up. Let me open Travis Kelce up.’ Now it’s like I’m not worried about getting somebody else open. I’m thinking, ‘I’m going to beat this dude and get the ball.'”

When healthy and engaged in the offense, Watkins proved throughout his career he can put up fantasy points in bunches. After Watkins missed two games at the end of the 2019 season, he exploded in the postseason. In the AFC championship game, he put up seven receptions for 114 yards before snagging five balls for 98 yards in the Chiefs’ Super Bowl win. He also had the pair of Week 1 eruptions, highlighted by the insane 2019 11-198-3 output.

Those explosions made Watkins’ owners even more frustrated because the potential has always been there for the former fourth overall pick, he just hasn’t been able to put it all together and remain healthy for a full season.

However, under Roman’s play-calling duties in 2015, the former Bill had a career year. In 13 games, he recorded double-digit receptions five times, eclipsed 15 fantasy points seven times, and double-digit fantasy points nine times. All-in-all, he finished the campaign with 60 receptions for 1,047 yards and nine touchdowns.

“For me, I know he doesn’t get all of the accolades and Greg isn’t [considered] up there with all the other ‘high’ offensive coordinators, but when I was in Buffalo, I had my best times with him,” Watkins stated. “I know that he’s going to do a [good] job of getting the ball not only in my hands, [but in the hands of] Hollywood, whatever receivers that we draft, or whatever receiver that is there. And Lamar is going to have fun throwing the ball around, passing, and just making plays. I think that’s the most critical thing.”

Watkins not only has a history with Roman, but he also has familiarity with Ravens’ pass-game specialist Keith Williams (served as Watkins’ personal coach) and wide receivers coach Tee Martin (helped Watkins prepare for the draft).

Furthermore, The Ravens hope that their bread-and-butter power-run game will open up chances for the playmakers to make plays on the perimeter.

“We’re going to have opportunities for guys to catch and run,” said John Harbaugh. “There should be more space with the running game and Lamar setting things up with the way they move. It should be a very exciting offense.”

As usual, The Wolf is a sucker for some Sammy Watkins. The wideout is ranked WR58 (+21 vs the ECR) on our 2021 Fantasy Rankings.

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