Who Should I Start? Chris Conley or Ja'Lynn Polk

Saturday, August 24, 9:33 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Chris Conley drew praise from head coach Kyle Shanahan earlier this week. Shanahan was asked how the 49ers would approach the wide receiver position in the event that Brandon Aiyuk doesn't suit up for the team in Week 1 and beyond. He expressed confidence in the team's in-house options at the position, including Conley. "Conley's had a hell of a camp," Shanahan told KNBR. "He came on strong for us last year, did a hell of a job for last year, and made a number of plays going into the playoffs, in the playoffs and in the Super Bowl. He's been on a lot of teams, too, where he's done it for a while." Shanahan also went on to mention that the team trusts its rookies, as long as they can stay healthy. Aiyuk remains a 49er and Deebo Samuel, Ricky Pearsall, and Jauan Jennings are all ahead of Conley on the depth chart, but the veteran should still carve out a role, and it's no secret that the team trusts him in key, high-leverage moments down the stretch.

Sunday, September 29, 8:56 PM

New England Patriots wide receiver Ja'Lynn Polk converted seven targets into three catches for 30 yards during Sunday's Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Polk had not commanded more than three targets in a single game through the first three weeks of the season, but that evidently changed this week as Polk led the Patriots with seven passes thrown his way. Despite the increased volume, Polk still didn't deliver a very appealing fantasy performance due to his lower catch and yardage totals. On a promising note, he made an impressive grab in heavy coverage along the sideline. It was ruled incomplete, but only because Polk just barely missed getting both feet in bounds. The play should give fantasy managers optimism that Polk can make flashy catches against starting cornerbacks in the NFL. The rookie isn't a reliable option for Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins, but his long-term value continues to grow as he makes an impression early in his Patriots career.