Who Should I Start? Alec Pierce or Jalen Coker

Sunday, January 4, 5:09 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce caught four of his seven targets for 132 yards and two touchdowns during Sunday's Week 18 loss against the Houston Texans. His touchdowns came from eight and 66 yards out. Pierce was having a great outing and operating as Riley Leonard's favorite target before a costly mistake late in the game. With less than two minutes remaining in the third quarter, Pierce failed to haul in a pass near the back of the end zone. He pleaded his case for a pass interference penalty, and while doing so, he made contact with the official. As a result, Pierce was automatically disqualified from the game. Amid the blemish on an otherwise spectacular Week 18, the 25-year-old put the finishing touches on the best season of his career. In 2025, he caught 47 passes for 1,003 yards and six touchdowns while ranking as a top-36 fantasy receiver.

Tuesday, January 27, 6:18 PM

Carolina Panthers wide receiver Jalen Coker's stats in his first two NFL seasons don't stand out. He has produced 65 catches on 89 targets for 872 yards and five touchdowns in 22 regular-season games. The 24-year-old former undrafted free agent out of Holy Cross has played in exactly 11 games in each of his first two years in the NFL due to injuries. A quad ailment was the reason he didn't debut in 2025 until Week 7. It took Coker a little while to get in the groove, but once he did, he was essentially Carolina's WR2 behind impressive rookie first-rounder Tetairoa McMillan. In the last five games of the regular season, Coker had 19 grabs for 244 yards and three touchdowns, and he stepped up in the playoff loss to the Los Angeles Rams for a 9-134-1 line. If Coker can finally stay healthy in 2026, he has the potential for a Year 3 breakout as the Panthers' WR2.