Who Should I Start? Allen Lazard or Darius Slayton

Monday, August 25, 1:18 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Allen Lazard (shoulder) is on track to be available for Week 1 against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday, Sept. 7, according to head coach Aaron Glenn. Lazard suffered a shoulder injury in the team's preseason opener on Aug. 9 and didn't play in the final two games. The 29-year-old will probably be on the first official injury report next week, but a long as he doesn't have a setback, he could be out on the field for the season opener. Fantasy managers will be avoiding him if he's active, though, as Lazard is merely competing for a depth role behind WR1 Garrett Wilson in New York with Josh Reynolds and Tyler Johnson. Lazard rebounded somewhat in 2024 in his second year with the team, but he's mostly been a dissapointment for the Jets with 60 catches on 109 targets for 841 yards and seven touchdowns in 26 games (22 starts).

Saturday, August 9, 1:07 PM

New York Giants wide receivers Malik Nabers (shoulder) and Darius Slayton (undisclosed) were not involved in pre-game warmups on Saturday and are not expected to suit up for the preseason opener against the Buffalo Bills, according to Ryan Dunleavy of the New York Post. It's a big chance for Jalin Hyatt to impress the coaches. Neither Nabers' or Slayton's injuries are serious, but the Giants will play it safe early in the preseason and hold them both out. In addition to a shoulder injury, the 22-year-old Nabers has also battled a toe injury since college, but it didn't slow him down at all in his rookie season in 2024, as he had a 109-1,204-7 line on 170 targets. Nabers' nagging injuries are worth watching closely, but as of now, there's no reason not to target him as a strong WR1 in fantasy drafts in 2025.