Who Should I Start? Calvin Ridley or Tetairoa McMillan

Friday, September 12, 10:39 AM

Tennessee Titans wide receiver Calvin Ridley underwhelmed in Week 1 against cornerback Patrick Surtain II and the Denver Broncos defense, recording just four catches for 27 yards. On a positive note, Ridley led the Titans in targets (eight) and looks like the clear number one option in the passing game for Tennessee rookie quarterback Cameron Ward. Still, it could be a struggle again for Ridley in Week 2 against the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams' defense dominated the Houston Texans' passing game in Week 1, holding Houston to 188 yards passing and shutting down star Texans wide receiver Nico Collins (three catches for 25 yards). Ridley should still see a heavy volume of targets on Sunday, but efficiency and end zone opportunities may be hard to come by. He profiles as a low-end fantasy WR3 in Week 2.

Saturday, September 13, 5:46 AM

Carolina Panthers rookie wide receiver Tetairoa McMillan led the Panthers with 68 receiving yards and five receptions on nine targets in their Week 1 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. Considering the poor play of quarterback Bryce Young and the Panthers' offense as a whole, McMillan's fantasy output in PPR leagues wasn't terrible (11.8 PPR points). However, if you roster McMillan in fantasy, you likely need him to produce WR2 numbers, which he didn't quite do in Week 1. Heading into Week 2 against the Arizona Cardinals, McMillan will once again have opportunities, as he was on the field for 83% of the Panthers' offensive plays in Week 1, leading all Panthers wideouts. The question is whether the Panthers' offensive line can give Young enough time to get the ball downfield for big plays to the big-bodied McMillan. If Young can improve in Week 2, it is expected that McMillan will outscore his Week 1 total. McMillan is a solid WR3/Flex option with WR2 upside heading into Week 2 against Arizona.