Who Should I Start? Casey Washington or Arian Smith

Saturday, September 13, 10:09 PM

Atlanta Falcons wide receiver Casey Washington (concussion) did not pass the league's concussion protocol and will be inactive on Sunday against the Vikings. The 24-year-old had his best game in the NFL last week, hauling in three of his six targets for 33 yards, but suffered a concussion during the fourth quarter of the contest. The University of Illinois product's six targets were fourth-most on the team and more than veteran Ray-Ray McCloud III's five targets, potentially signaling a changing of the guard for the third wide receiver spot in the Atlanta offense, but it was likely more a product of Darnell Mooney's absence in Week 1 than anything else. With Mooney expected to play in Week 2 but with Washington out, we'll have to see how things shake out in Week 3 in order to get a better feel for Washington's role in this offense. For now, Washington can be left to the waiver wire in fantasy leagues.

Saturday, October 11, 3:51 PM

New York Jets wide receiver Arian Smith should see the field more in Week 6 when his team takes on the Denver Broncos at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in London. The rookie has amassed just five targets and four catches through five games in 2025. However, with the news that teammate Allen Lazard (personal) will be ruled out this Sunday, Smith should get a bit of extra run behind fellow wideouts Josh Reynolds and Garrett Wilson. The path to fantasy relevance is narrow, particularly with tight end Mason Taylor carving out a significant target share from quarterback Justin Fields. Still, New York may be forced to air it out a bit more with Denver's defense allowing the fifth-fewest rushing yards per game to opposing ground attacks (88.4). Smith isn't an option in season-long lineup leagues, but he's worth monitoring for dynasty purposes. The former Georgia Bulldog is RotoBaller's PPR WR116 for his matchup with the Broncos.