Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or DeVonta Smith

BENCH

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
6.7 0.7 0.0 2.2 33.4 0.2

Calvin Ridley News

Calvin Ridley Makes His Presence Felt on Opening Scoring Drive

Friday, August 14, 6:13 AM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley got the start along with the rest of the team's first-unit offense during Thursday night's preseason opener, and he connected with quarterback Cam Ward on an 18-yard pass as part of the Titans' 11-play, 95-yard opening scoring drive. Ridley missed most of the 2025 season with a hamstring injury and a broken fibula, but his 925-yard pace across his five healthy games would have led the team by a significant margin. An overhauled receiver room featuring free agent acquisition Wan'Dale Robinson and fourth overall pick Carnell Tate adds significant target competition in 2026, but often going undrafted outside of deeper leagues, Ridley is a player to watch early in the season, as his versatility could still lead to usable fantasy contributions, even as the third option in what could be an ascending offense.

START

Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.		 Rush.
Yds.		 Rush
TD		 Rec. Rec.
Yds.		 Rec
TD
13.4 0.1 0.0 4.8 63.7 0.4

DeVonta Smith News

DeVonta Smith Taking on WR1 Responsibilities in 2026

Saturday, August 29, 8:20 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith will occupy a much bigger role this season following the departure of former teammate A.J. Brown via trade. Smith has been a top-20 fantasy receiver in three of his last four seasons, including a finish as the overall WR20 in PPR leagues last year. He was healthy for all 17 games in 2025, catching 77 passes for 1,008 yards and a career-low four touchdowns. We're not expecting a major bump in touchdowns since the Eagles like to run the ball around the goal line, but Smith certainly should earn more targets, catches, and yards with Brown gone. Plus, as one of the most talented No. 2 receivers in years past, Smith should have no trouble adapting to the No. 1 role, even though it means he'll be going up against other teams' top cornerbacks. Smith has jumped to WR13 in RotoBaller's latest redraft rankings, and he currently has an ADP of 32.1 (WR14).

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 6.7 points this week while DeVonta Smith is projected to score 13.4 points.