Who Should I Start? Chris Godwin or Christian Kirk

Wednesday, July 23, 5:19 PM

Tampa Bay Buccaneers head coach Todd Bowles said that there isn't a specific timetable on wide receiver Chris Godwin's (ankle) return, but Bowles also noted he is "on track." Godwin's season ended in Week 7 last year when he suffered a dislocated ankle, and he hasn't been able to practice with the team at all. The 29-year-old was put on the Physically Unable to Perform list this week, although he can be activated at any time during training camp. The Bucs gave Godwin a three-year, $66 million deal back in March, so we'd be a bit surprised if he wasn't ready for Week 1 of the regular season this fall. However, that doesn't necessarily mean he'll be at full speed by then, and he could very easily get off to a slow start if he's eased back in. The longer Godwin sits out in camp, the more of a risk he'll be in fantasy drafts, especially after Tampa took rookie receiver Emeka Egbuka in the first round in April.

Wednesday, July 9, 3:34 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk was dealt from the division rival Jacksonville Jaguars for a late-round NFL Draft pick this offseason. The 28-year-old had a fantastic first season with Jacksonville in 2022, but injuries and offensive woes limited his production in 2023 and 2024. Last year, he tallied just 27 receptions for 379 yards and one score in eight games while Brian Thomas Jr. took over the WR1 role. Now in Houston, he is seemingly competing with rookies Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel for the WR2 job behind Nico Collins. ESPN's DJ Bien-Aime believes Kirk might be the favorite to win that job. "The best way to step into the No. 2 or No. 3 role is building chemistry with CJ.. Stroud," Bien-Aime wrote. "And Kirk looked like a potential safety blanket for the third-year signal-caller." While this is promising for Kirk's fantasy prospects, the veteran has eclipsed 800 yards in just two of his seven NFL campaigns, and Houston's acquisitions of Higgins and Noel could suggest they were not comfortable with Kirk in the clear WR2 role. That said, his cost in drafts outside the top 50 WRs makes him an interesting dart throw in all formats.