Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Antonio Gibson

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.

Sunday, January 5, 8:17 PM

New England Patriots running back Antonio Gibson rushed for 41 yards on 12 carries during Sunday's Week 18 win over the Buffalo Bills. He also caught four of his six targets for an additional 20 yards through the air. Gibson remained the Patriots' primary running back on Sunday, playing 65.6 percent of the offensive snaps. Terrell Jennings played 37.5 percent of the snaps, and interestingly, Rhamondre Stevenson didn't step foot on the field for a single down. Stevenson has been in the doghouse following a costly Week 16 fumble, registering just two carries since then. Gibson is still under contract with the Patriots for two more years, which means there's a strong chance he enters 2025 as the team's primary running back. Of course, a lot could change between now and Week 1 of next year, especially with New England set to bring in a new coaching staff.