Who Should I Start? Ben Skowronek or Xavier Restrepo

Friday, March 14, 3:59 PM

The Pittsburgh Steelers have agreed to re-sign wide receiver Ben Skowronek to an undisclosed deal. The NFL's Ian Rapoport reported the news. The wideout found his way onto Pittsburgh's roster in mid-September after failing to become a member of the Texans' 53-man squad, but an early-season shoulder injury forced him to injured reserve, and he missed six games. Upon his return in Week 10, Skowronek surpassed 20 snaps in a single contest on just one occasion, totaling five catches and 69 yards in ten appearances. The Notre Dame product will serve as roster padding in the Steelers' WR corps, though he's likely to play a role on special teams. Additionally, Skowronek has experience as a fullback from his time spent with Sean McVay and the Los Angeles Rams, providing a versatile roster piece for Pittsburgh.

Monday, September 1, 11:30 PM

Tennessee Titans practice squad wide receiver Xavier Restrepo remains an intriguing stash in deeper dynasty leagues. Although Restrepo didn't make the Titans' 53-man roster, there are still reasons to be optimistic about his future in Tennessee. First of all, he was a priority target for the Titans as they filled out their practice squad, which means that the front office can still envision him making an impact even though he wasn't selected for the initial roster. Additionally, he has a strong rapport with quarterback Cam Ward, as they were teammates in college. Finally, Tennessee's wide receiver depth is incredibly thin, which means there may be opportunities for non-roster players to step up. Tyler Lockett is likely headed for retirement within the next couple of years, neither Bryce Oliver nor Van Jefferson is a major offensive threat, and rookies Chimere Dike and Elic Ayomanor both have lower draft capital attached to them after being Day 3 picks. Any Titan receiver not named Calvin Ridley could be replaceable, so Restrepo will have chances to leapfrog other players on the depth chart and earn an elevation to the active roster. Of course, once he gets there, he'll still have to produce. However, at the minimum, there's enough to like about his landing spot to justify stashing him in dynasty leagues. The worst-case scenario is that you cut him mid-season, and that's a risk every fantasy manager can afford to take.