Who Should I Start? Chris Brazzell II or Zachariah Branch
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.0 | 0.3 | 0.0 | 1.4 | 18.2 | 0.1 |
Chris Brazzell II News
Friday, July 31, 11:54 AM
ESPN's Adam Schefter reports the Carolina Panthers have placed rookie wide receiver Chris Brazzell (knee) on injured reserve, officially ending his season. The 22-year-old suffered a torn LCL in his left knee on a noncontact play during training camp on Wednesday. The Panthers selected Brazzell with the 83rd overall pick in the third round of the 2026 NFL Draft. Brazzell offered a rare combination of size and speed to the Carolina offense, which would have allowed for Tetairoa McMillan to be moved around the formation more often. McMillan has spoken publicly about wanting to play from the slot more often to get the ball in his hands and create more mismatches. Unfortunately, we will have to wait until 2027 to see both 6'4 receivers on the field at the same time.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4.4 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 1.7 | 20.7 | 0.1 |
Zachariah Branch News
Friday, July 31, 9:17 AM
Atlanta Falcons rookie wide receiver Zachariah Branch received praise from quarterback Tua Tagovailoa during training camp on Friday, according to Tori McElhaney of the team's official website. "You see him, he's usually open," Tagovailoa said. The 22-year-old third-rounder out of the University of Georgia was also a standout during organized team activities in the spring, with Tagovailoa saying back then that the young pass-catcher reminded him of former Dolphins teammate Jaylen Waddle. That's pretty high praise. Branch could also have a path to immediate fantasy relevance in 2026 in his first year in the NFL, as none of Atlanta's WR spots are locked up besides Drake London as the unquestioned WR1. Branch will primarily be competing with former first-rounder Jahan Dotson and Olamide Zaccheaus for the WR2 role this summer. The small slot receiver could face durability concerns in the NFL, but his speed could make up for it. Branch will most likely go undrafted in most single-year fantasy formats, but he has the skills and opportunity to quickly emerge as a waiver-wire priority in Atlanta. RotoBaller has Branch ranked as the WR80 going into 2026.
Chris Brazzell II vs. Zachariah Branch
Still trying to decide between Brazzell II and Branch? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Chris Brazzell II is projected to score 4.0 points this week while Zachariah Branch is projected to score 4.4 points.
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