Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or Michael Pittman Jr.

Sunday, December 29, 8:49 PM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley managed his second solid performance in a row in Week 17, hauling in five receptions for 84 yards and running for seven more on one attempt in Sunday's 20-13 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. It was Ridley's first time leading his team in receiving yards since Week 14-;another matchup against Jacksonville. It was also his most in a game in his last five outings. Ridley still tied for second-most targets on Tennessee (six) with fellow WR Nick Westbrook-Ikhine, trailing behind tight end Chig Okonkwo yet again. However, after catching a touchdown last weekend, this is the best two-game stretch out of Ridley since the middle of the season. Next week, he's home against a Texans defense, allowing the fifth-most points to opposing fantasy wideouts this year.

Wednesday, April 23, 12:27 AM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) said that his back injury from the 2024 season is in the past and he didn't require surgery on his back. He said he was cleared to play last month and thinks he's done the work necessary to get past the fractured back that he played through last year. In addition to shaky quarterback play and Anthony Richardson eventually being benched in favor of veteran Joe Flacco, Pittman battled a busted back to finish with only 69 receptions, 808 receiving yards and three touchdowns in 16 games, which were all the lowest marks of his five-year NFL career since his rookie campaign in 2020 in which he played in only 13 games. The 27-year-old might be better off from a fantasy perspective if Daniel Jones wins the quarterback competition over Anthony Richardson this offseason, but either way, fantasy managers are going to be more skeptical of Pittman as a WR2 in 2025.