Should I drop Ryan Fitzgerald for Jake Bates?

One scoring page covers these positions; reception points do not affect this comparison.

THE DROP / ADD CALL

Lean: add Jake Bates for Ryan Fitzgerald

This week’s projections are 7.0 FP for Ryan Fitzgerald and 9.2 FP for Jake Bates. Jake Bates leads by 10.0 FP across the evaluated weeks and holds up in the Weeks 15–18 outlook. These are player forecast totals. Use your league’s playoff weeks and roster needs to make the final call.

Forecast updated Nov 6, 4:05 PM ET

PLAYER TO DROP

Ryan Fitzgerald

K · CAR · vs DEN

Stats & schedule ›

7.0FF projected FP

Nov 8, 1:00 PM ET

8.5%rostered on ESPN-0.39 pp recent change

PLAYER TO ADD

Jake Bates

K · DET · vs MIA

Stats & schedule ›

9.2FF projected FP

Nov 8, 1:00 PM ET

51.4%rostered on ESPN+2.14 pp recent change

WHY THIS MOVE?

A better week is only part of the decision.

Ryan Fitzgerald is 8.5% rostered; Jake Bates is 51.4% rostered on ESPN. Ownership describes availability across leagues, not yours. Compare the weeks you need covered and the value you give up. A replacement can help now while weakening a later lineup.

Ryan Fitzgerald

Ryan Fitzgerald projects for 7.0 Standard points against DEN this week. His recent scoring average is 6.0 FP. The defensive matchup reduces the FF estimate by 1.25%. He is rostered in 8.5% of ESPN leagues, with a reported decline of 0.39 percentage points. Roster trends measure manager activity, not a guarantee of playing time or availability in your league.

FF projection: 7.0 FP -0.3vs ESPN
ESPN: 7.3 FP
Sleeper: 7.5 FP
FantasyPros: 7.1 FP
Boosted Trees: 7.2 FP; Experimental · saved Oct 27, 12:03 AM ET

Jake Bates

Jake Bates projects for 9.2 Standard points against MIA this week. His recent scoring average is 7.5 FP. He is rostered in 51.4% of ESPN leagues, with a reported gain of 2.14 percentage points. Roster trends measure manager activity, not a guarantee of playing time or availability in your league.

FF projection: 9.2 FP -0.3vs ESPN
ESPN: 9.5 FP
Sleeper: 8.3 FP
FantasyPros: 8.7 FP
Boosted Trees: 9.2 FP; Experimental · saved Oct 27, 12:03 AM ET

Roster snapshot Nov 6, 3:30 PM ET. Saved models support the assessment; they are not independent votes. A full roster and league settings are needed to evaluate starter impact.

THE HOLD, NOT JUST THE CLAIM

What comes after this week?

The Drop / Add assessment uses the immediate and future FF outlook together. For a bye replacement, the hold decision starts after the bye. Totals describe the player, not extra points for your roster. Weeks 15–18 are a calendar view; your league’s playoff weeks may differ. Green highlights the higher displayed projection when both outlooks are known; ties and incomplete comparisons stay neutral.

Window	Ryan Fitzgerald	Jake Bates
Next 3 weeks	22.6 FP3/3 scheduled games projected	26.6 FPHigher projection3/3 scheduled games projected
Remaining regular-season schedule	74.6 FP10/10 scheduled games projected	84.7 FPHigher projection10/10 scheduled games projected
Weeks 15–18	30.1 FP4/4 scheduled games projected	32.0 FPHigher projection4/4 scheduled games projected

Weekly Drop / Add outlook

Week	Ryan Fitzgerald	Jake Bates
Week 9	7.0 FPvs DEN	9.2 FPvs MIAHigher projection
Week 10	8.1 FPvs NO	8.7 FPvs NEHigher projection
Week 11	7.6 FPvs BAL	8.7 FPvs TBHigher projection
Week 12	7.2 FPvs TB	8.0 FPvs CHIHigher projection
Week 13	6.7 FPvs MIN	8.6 FPvs ATLHigher projection
Week 14	8.0 FPvs NO	9.4 FPvs TENHigher projection
Week 15	7.8 FPvs CIN	8.0 FPvs MINHigher projection
Week 16	7.5 FPvs PIT	8.5 FPvs NYGHigher projection
Week 17	7.2 FPvs SEA	7.5 FPvs CHIHigher projection
Week 18	7.6 FPvs ATL	8.0 FPvs GBHigher projection