Who Should I Start? Bryce Oliver or Qadir Ismail

Monday, August 26, 12:07 PM

Tennessee Titans rookie wide receiver Bryce Oliver hauled in three passes for 52 yards and two touchdowns in the last preseason win over New Orleans. It was a mini breakout for the undrafted pass-catcher out of Youngstown State, who was having a quiet game until quarterback Malik Willis started looking his way in the fourth quarter, which led to two scores, along with the game-winner with 1:25 remaining. Oliver was not expected to compete for an active roster spot, but this performance definitely gives general manager Ran Carthon something to think about. Even so, with Calvin Ridley, DeAndre Hopkins, Treylon Burks, Tyler Boyd, Kyle Philips, and Nick Westbrook-Ikhine having locked up roster spots at WR, it's tough to see a situation in which Oliver ends up on the active 53-man roster for the Titans. He is nowhere near any fantasy radar heading into the 2024-25 season.

Friday, April 25, 12:20 AM

The Las Vegas Raiders announced on Thursday that they signed free-agent tight end Qadir Ismail to an undisclosed deal. For the time being, Ismail will give the Raiders depth at the tight end position behind starter Brock Bowers, Michael Mayer, Ian Thomas and Justin Shorter. The 28-year-old was with the Baltimore Ravens' practice squad last year but never got into an NFL game and has yet to catch a pass in the league after going undrafted out of Samford after 2023. He played six seasons in college with Villanova and Samford and had 13 catches for 135 yards in 11 games with Samford in his senior season in 2023. After suffering an undisclosed injury late last year, the Ravens released him from their practice squad. Ismail will be battling long odds to make the Raiders' 53-man roster out of training camp this summer.