Who Should I Start? Calvin Austin III or Tre Tucker

Thursday, July 3, 7:17 PM

Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver coach Zach Azzanni noted during the team's minicamp that he believes wide receiver Calvin Austin III is poised to step into the offense's No. 2 pass-catching role. "I think that '2' spot is all Calvin's right now," said Azzanni. The Memphis alum put together his best statistical season in 2024 with a decent 36/548/4 line as the team's third-leading wideout. However, even with the departure of ex-teammate George Pickens vacating 103 targets, it won't be an easy path to fantasy relevance. Pickens was replaced by DK Metcalf, who will garner his fair share of looks, and Austin III will now have to contend with two viable options at tight end in Pat Freiermuth and the newly acquired Jonnu Smith. The 26-year-old offers the most juice on the team, but Pittsburgh's propensity to run and productive teammates will likely limit his fantasy value outside of best ball formats.

Monday, January 6, 10:06 AM

Las Vegas Raiders wide receiver Tre Tucker caught three of his four targets for 24 yards during Sunday's Week 18 loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. Tucker played just 79.2 percent of offensive snaps in the contest, which was his lowest rate since Week 2. Still, he managed to post his largest reception total since Week 12. Even though the 23-year-old merely delivered modest production, it was a good bounce-back showing from him after he caught just two of eight targets one week earlier. His improved catch rate in Sunday's regular-season finale suggests that he can handle increased opportunities on offense. Moving forward, Las Vegas will likely look to bring in some competition at wide receiver during the offseason, but Tucker has established himself as a reputable target. He's worth holding in dynasty leagues, and he could sneak into the last couple rounds of 2025 drafts in deeper formats.