Commanders' John Bates: Serving as No. 2 tight end

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Bates played 25 of the Commanders' 72 snaps on offense in Sunday's 21-18 win over the Giants and reeled in his lone target for a five-yard reception.

Bates has worked ahead of rookie second-round draft pick Ben Sinnott in both of the Commanders' first two games, but the presence of veteran Zach Ertz has kept Bates from playing more than half of the snaps on offense in either contest. If the Commanders fade from playoff contention, Ertz could take on a lesser role, but the coaching staff may be more inclined to expand Sinnott's playing time rather than taking a longer look at Bates. Through his first three seasons in the league, Bates didn't showcase intriguing upside as a receiver, finishing with between 14 and 20 catches in each year despite missing only one game during that span.