Who Should I Start? Chris Conley or Mecole Hardman

Sunday, January 5, 11:14 PM

Wide receiver Chris Conley had one of his best games as a San Francisco 49er during a 47-24 loss to the Cardinals in Arizona on Sunday. The 32-year-old journeyman caught all four targets for 59 yards receiving from backup quarterback Joshua Dobbs. The yardage and reception totals more than doubled Conley's 2024 production entering Week 18. Conley's stat line looks very similar to his only other productive game with San Francisco, which came on the final game of last season (three receptions for 69 yards). Over his 10-year career so far, Conley has amassed 226 receptions for 2,998 yards and 15 touchdowns. Conley will be an unrestricted free agent this summer and will likely be off the fantasy radar wherever he lands.

Tuesday, March 18, 9:06 PM

Free-agent wide receiver/return specialist Mecole Hardman (knee) is signing an undisclosed one-year deal with the Green Bay Packers on Tuesday, a source tells ESPN's Jeremy Fowler. Hardman will take his speed to the Packers while contributing both on offense and special teams as a kick returner. The 27-year-old former second-rounder (56th overall) by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019 out of the University of Georgia caught only 12 of 14 targets for 90 yards and no touchdowns while carrying the ball five times for 62 yards and a touchdown in 12 regular-season games before suffering a knee injury in December that landed him on Injured Reserve. The Packers could use the receiver depth with Christian Watson (knee) likely to miss around half of the 2025 season, but Hardman could struggle for consistent involvement in Green Bay's offense, much like he did in KC, behind Jayden Reed and Romeo Doubs.