Bates (shoulder) was a full participant in Friday's practice.
Bates likely tweaked his shoulder during the Commanders' Week 5 win over the Chargers. He opened the week as a limited practice participant Thursday, but his ability to participate without restrictions Friday indicates that he should be good to go against the Bears on Monday. Bates played 41 snaps (30 on offense, 11 on special teams) and caught his first pass of the regular season for nine yards in Week 5.
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Commanders' John Bates: Pops up as limited Thursday
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Bates (shoulder) was limited in Thursday's practice.
It's a new injury for the Commanders' tight end after he recently dealt with a groin issue that caused him to miss Weeks 3 and 4 before returning to the lineup last Sunday against the Chargers. When healthy, Bates has been playing roughly 50 percent of the offensive snaps, but he has just one catch for nine yards on the season.
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Commanders' John Bates: All set for Week 5
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Bates (groin) was a full participant at practice Wednesday.
Bates has been sidelined for each of the team's last two games due to a groin injury, but he now appears to be ready to return to action in Week 5. The 27-year-old will be back in his role as a top reserve option behind Zach Ertz at tight end versus the Chargers on Sunday.
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Commanders' John Bates: Ruled out
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Bates (groin) has been ruled out for Sunday's game at Atlanta, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Bates hasn't practiced the past two weeks and will now miss a second straight game. Ben Sinnott figures to step up as the No. 2 tight end again, with playing time largely depending on the gameplan (and then game script).
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Commanders' John Bates: Misses practice
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Bates (groin) did not practice Wednesday.
Bates was injured in the first half of last Thursday night's loss to the Packers, and coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Bates is a "long shot" to play in Week 3 against the Raiders. Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff are next up at tight end behind starter Zach Ertz.
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Commanders' John Bates: Unlikely to play Week 3
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Commanders head coach Dan Quinn said Monday that Bates (groin) is a "long shot" to play Sunday versus Las Vegas, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
Bates was injured in the second quarter in Thursday's loss to the Packers. Though he will have had extended time to recover, it doesn't appear the veteran tight end will be able to suit up Sunday. Ben Sinnott and Colson Yankoff could both see more snaps than usual against the Raiders, though Zach Ertz -- who logged 89 percent of Washington's defensive snaps Week 2 -- will likely continue to carry a heavy workload as the team's top tight end.
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Commanders' John Bates: Done for night
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Bates (groin) has been ruled out for remainder of Thursday's contest against the Packers.
Bates suffered a groin injury in the first half, and he will now be forced to sit out the rest of the game. In his place, Ben Sinnott will likely continue to see an increase in workload at tight end.
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Commanders' John Bates: Resting Saturday
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Bates won't play in Saturday's preseason game against Baltimore, Nicki Jhabvala of The Washington Post reports.
The Commanders are resting most of the players with secure roles -- a group that includes Bates, but apparently not fellow tight end Ben Sinnott (a 2024 second-round pick). Zach Ertz is also resting in anticipation of being the team's top receiving threat at tight end, while Bates figures to continue in his familiar role as a blocking-focused No. 2 TE when Washington open the regular season against the Giants on Sun., Sept. 7.
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Commanders' John Bates: Adds three catches in playoffs
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Bates caught eight of 13 passes for 84 yards during the 2024 regular season, then added three catches for 31 yards on four targets in the playoffs.
Bates has been Washington's No. 2 tight end ever since the team took him in the fourth round of the 2021 NFL Draft. He's always been more of a blocker than pass catcher, and it's possible he finds a new home now that he's completed his rookie contract. TE Zach Ertz is also scheduled for free agency, but Bates is unlikely to have a major receiving role even if he re-signs with the Commanders while Ertz moves on.
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Commanders' John Bates: Ready for Sunday
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Bates (shoulder) was a limited participant in practice Friday and does not carry an injury designation for Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles.
Bates has dealt with a shoulder injury throughout the postseason, but his availability hasn't yet been impacted. He secured one of two targets for 20 yards during the team's divisional-round win over Detroit while working behind Zach Ertz at the tight end position.
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Commanders' John Bates: Nursing shoulder injury
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Bates (shoulder) was a limited participant in Thursday's practice.
Bates entered the postseason nursing a shoulder injury, but it didn't prevent him from playing in the Commanders' first two playoff games. He played 85 snaps (70 on offense, 15 on special teams) over those two contests and caught one pass (on three targets) for 20 yards while serving as Washington's backup tight end behind Zach Ertz. Bates' limited participation Thursday is likely to prevent an aggravation of his shoulder injury, and he should be able to play in Sunday's NFC Championship Game against the Eagles unless he suffers a setback.
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Commanders' John Bates: Cleared for wild-card round
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Bates (shoulder) was limited in practice Friday but does not carry an injury designation for Sunday's road NFC wild-card round matchup against the Buccaneers.
Bates began the week as a full participant in practice, and despite then downgrading to back-to-back limited sessions, he's been cleared to suit up Sunday on the road at Tampa Bay. The depth tight end suited up for all 17 regular-season games with Washington, securing eight of 13 targets for 84 yards.
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Commanders' John Bates: Makes short catch in Week 15
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Bates played 42 of the Commanders' 78 snaps on offense and hauled in his lone target for a six-yard reception in Sunday's 20-19 win over the Saints.
Bates and fellow reserve tight end Ben Sinnott (42 snaps, 1-7-0 receiving line on one target) turned in nearly identical lines in Week 15 in terms of both playing time and production, with both seeing their roles expand after starter Zach Ertz (concussion) left the game early. If Ertz can't clear concussion protocol ahead of Sunday's game against the Eagles, another near-even timeshare at tight end between Bates and Sinnott could be in the offing. Sinnott profiles as the more fantasy-friendly option of the two, as the rookie second-round pick recorded 49 catches for 676 yards and six touchdowns during his final collegiate season at Kansas State.
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Commanders' John Bates: Two catches vs. Philadelphia
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Bates caught two passes on three targets for 17 yards during Thursday's 26-18 loss to the Commanders.
Bates had gone catchless the last two games, but he finished Thursday's game third in both receptions and receiving yards behind Austin Ekeler (eight catches for 89 yards) and Zach Ertz (six receptions for 47 yards). Bates played on just 30 percent of the Commanders' offensive snaps, and he's been hovering around that rate as he operates as the Commanders' No. 2 tight end behind Ertz and ahead of Ben Sinnott. Through 11 regular-season games, Bates has played 295 snaps on offense and accumulated five catches (on eight targets) for 51 yards.
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Commanders' John Bates: Catches two passes from Daniels
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Bates caught both of his targets for 20 yards in Saturday's 13-6 preseason loss to Miami.
Both receptions came from QB Jayden Daniels, with Bates making the start and playing nearly all the first-team snaps for a second straight week. The fourth-year pro is unlikely to have an every-down role once the regular season begins, but it does seem Bates will start the year ahead of rookie second-round pick Ben Sinnott, serving as the blocking/inline tight end in a timeshare with Zach Ertz. It may not be long before Sinnott pushes for more snaps, however.
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Commanders' John Bates: Catches 19 passes in 2023
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Bates caught 19 of 28 passes for 151 yards in 17 games during the 2023 season.
The 2021 fourth-round pick has finished each of his three pro seasons with between 22 and 28 targets and 14 and 20 receptions, and around 500 snaps. Bates hasn't shown the pass-catching chops to make a fantasy impact, and he now faces some uncertainty entering the final year of his rookie contract as the Commanders bring in a new coaching staff.
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Commanders' John Bates: Draws no targets Week 6
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Bates went without a target across 20 snaps on offense Sunday in the Commanders' 24-16 win over the Falcons.
Quarterback Sam Howell didn't look to involve his tight ends in Week 6, as the trio of Logan Thomas, Bates and Cole Turner combined for just one target across 69 offensive snaps. Thomas continues to dominate the playing time among the position group, and so long as he's healthy, Bates will be in store for a minor role. In the four games that Thomas has played without exiting early due to injury, Bates has drawn just three total targets.
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Commanders' John Bates: Targeted twice
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Bates caught both of his targets for 12 yards in Sunday's 37-3 loss to Buffalo.
Bates took 57 percent of snaps on offense, the same as Cole Turner, who finished with a 3-35-0 receiving line on a team-high seven targets. There's not much fantasy appeal with Bates for Week 4 at Philadelphia, as he'll be the blocking-focused TE in a timeshare even if Logan Thomas (concussion) misses another game.
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Commanders' John Bates: Held catchless
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Bates finished with one target and no receptions in Monday's preseason win over Baltimore.
With Logan Thomas (calf) sidelined, Cole Turner worked as the primary tight end on the first-team offense, while Bates played a few snaps and mostly blocked. There's not much hope for significant receiving production, but Bates at least figures to have a blocking role for the third straight year since Washington made him a fourth-round pick in the 2021 NFL Draft.
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Commanders' John Bates: Quiet second season
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Bates finished the 2022 season with 14 catches for 108 yards and a touchdown on 22 targets in 16 games.
The 2021 fourth-round pick mostly served as a blocker, playing no fewer than 20 offensive snaps and no more than 45 in his 16 appearances. Bates had 249 receiving yards as a rookie and could perhaps have a larger role in 2023, but he'll likely always be used as a blocker first and foremost, given his 6-6, 259-pound frame and lack of speed.
