Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or DeVonta Smith

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Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
7.7 1.0 0.0 2.4 38.9 0.2

Calvin Ridley News

Calvin Ridley Holds Minimal Upside in Week 1 Despite Path to Starting Role

Saturday, September 12, 8:22 AM

After dealing with a hamstring injury and a broken fibula that limited him to just seven games in 2025, wide receiver Calvin Ridley enters the 2026 campaign healthy and as a starter for the Tennessee Titans. The Titans take on the New York Jets in Week 1. Ridley will play alongside fellow wideouts Wan'Dale Robinson and Carnell Tate (rookie), as well as tight end Gunnar Helm, as he looks to establish himself as a top target for quarterback Cam Ward in the passing game. The 31-year-old Ridley recorded just 17 receptions for 303 yards and zero touchdowns during his injury-plagued 2025 campaign, but the veteran has amassed 405 catches for 5,678 yards and 40 touchdowns throughout his career. Ridley is currently rostered in just 4% of Yahoo leagues right now and ranks as RotoBaller's No. 80 wide receiver (half-PPR) in Week 1. It is safe to keep Ridley out of lineups for Week 1, but his situation is worth monitoring.

START

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
15.1 0.1 0.0 5.4 72.5 0.4

DeVonta Smith News

DeVonta Smith Primed for Breakout as Undisputed No. 1

Thursday, September 3, 7:30 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith could be headed for a breakout season in 2026. The 27-year-old is poised to handle a significantly larger target share after teammate AJ Brown was traded to the New England Patriots. Smith had a total of nine catches and 136 yards across the two games that Brown missed last year, which likely represents his floor for the upcoming season. He is the undisputed No. 1 target in Philadelphia, offering a high-upside weapon for Jalen Hurts in all parts of the field. Perhaps the biggest question mark is whether Smith will take on a larger role around the goal line. He tallied a career-low four touchdowns last year, but he'll presumably get more goal-line targets following the departure of Brown, who scored seven touchdowns in 2025. As it stands, Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings for 2026. He has an ADP of 31.4, which corresponds to the third round of fantasy drafts and makes him the 14th receiver off the board.

Calvin Ridley vs. DeVonta Smith

Still trying to decide between Ridley and Smith? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Calvin Ridley is projected to score 7.7 points this week while DeVonta Smith is projected to score 15.1 points.