Who Should I Start? A.J. Brown or C.J. Stroud

Monday, February 10, 12:36 AM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver A.J. Brown caught three of his five targets for 43 yards during Sunday's Super Bowl win over the Kansas City Chiefs. Brown had a quieter start to the playoffs, but he eventually came on strong with nine catches, 139 yards, and two touchdowns over his final two contests. The 27-year-old has shown an ability to produce in a crowded offense, compiling 1,079 yards and seven touchdowns in the regular season despite fighting to earn opportunities over stars like Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley, DeVonta Smith, and Dallas Goedert. There are certainly many mouths to feed in Philadelphia, but Brown has shown that he can be the primary receiving option en route to ranking as a strong WR1 for fantasy purposes.

Wednesday, July 16, 2:47 PM

Houston Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud had a sophomore slump following his fantastic rookie season in 2023 out of Ohio State. After throwing for more than 4,100 yards, 23 touchdowns, and five interceptions in 15 games in Year 1, he regressed to just over 3,700 yards, 20 touchdowns, and 12 picks in Year 2. Entering 2025 in what could set him up for a lucrative contract extension, Stroud has trained hard to improve his physical fitness. "I've been working really hard on getting my body right -- losing body fat, trying to be faster, stronger," Stroud said. "And it went really well. ... [Working] pocket mobility, running out the pocket, throwing the rock. Everything kind of works hand in hand." Last season, Houston's offensive line struggled mightily, and Stroud was sacked 63 times, good for the second-most in the NFL behind only Caleb Williams (68). The offensive line could remain an issue after the team traded away franchise left tackle Laremy Tunsil, but sacks are often largely a quarterback stat, too. If Stroud can become more dynamic operating inside and outside of the pocket, it could create more downfield opportunities for pass-catchers Nico Collins, Christian Kirk, and Jayden Higgins, among others.