Who Should I Start? Arian Smith or Isaiah Bond

Saturday, September 20, 7:53 AM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith does not project to be a factor this Sunday despite a solid matchup against the hosting Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The rookie wideout picked up a sizable increase in playing time from his first NFL action in Week 1, racking up nearly 50% of the team's snaps (47%) after a measly 10% the week prior. Fellow wideout Josh Reynold's (hamstring) absence from the game was the primary catalyst behind the occurrence, but that will be true again in Week 3. The former Georgia Bulldog is uber-explosive and offers a similar athletic profile to teammate Garrett Wilson. However, targets will be challenging to come by with Wilson lined up across the field in a Jets' offense that prefers to keep the ball on the ground. He lands as RotoBaller's PPR WR121 in Week 3.

Thursday, September 18, 11:44 AM

Despite his lack of involvement early on, ESPN's Dan Graziano notes that Cleveland Browns rookie wide receiver Isaiah Bond has the potential to be a second-half breakout candidate in the 2025 season. Bond got a late start after dealing with sexual assault charges that were eventually dropped, so he's a bit further behind your typical rookie wideout at this point in their career. Any time missed in the early portion of a player's tenure could set them back, but the former Texas Longhorn has seemingly already surpassed second-year receiver Jamari Thrash in the Browns' WR room. Cleveland's dearth of skill players could leave him with a low target floor on a weekly basis, though Bond boasts the most speed of the group. Expect things to be in flux for the Browns at some point, but Bond is worth keeping an eye on in deeper leagues and is an excellent stash in dynasty formats.