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.

Friday, January 10, 12:10 PM

Indianapolis Colts general manager Chris Ballard said that wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr. (back) will not require surgery for the fractured back that he played through late in the 2024 season. "One tough dude. Example of what you want," Ballard said. It's a testament to Pittman's toughness that he missed just one game due to his back injury. But the 27-year-old's back issues and inconsistent play from the quarterback position in Indianapolis in 2024 led to Pittman posting only 808 receiving yards -- his fewest since his rookie season in 2020 -- to go with 69 receptions (also his lowest mark since 2020) and only three touchdowns in 16 games. Better health will give him a chance to rebound in 2025, but his overall upside might be dependent on quarterback Anthony Richardson's health and his ability to improve as a passer.