Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Alec Pierce

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.

Tuesday, July 29, 3:28 PM

Indianapolis Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce (foot) returned to practice Tuesday after sitting out Monday with a blister in his foot. Pierce has stood out early in camp as he enters a contract year. The 25-year-old led the NFL with a sky-high 22.3 yards per catch and picked up seven touchdowns in 2024, but he only caught 37 passes on 69 targets. Pierce continues to deal with a less-than-stellar situation at quarterback with Daniel Jones and Anthony Richardson Sr. vying for the job. There are also a handful of other Colts who could eat into his targets. Pierce finished third on the team in targets last year, trailing well behind Michael Pittman Jr. and Josh Downs, and the Colts have since added first-round tight end Tyler Warren.