Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Chris Olave

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 22, 4:16 PM

ESPN's Erin Summers reports that New Orleans Saints wide receiver Chris Olave (head) is a full go ahead of the team's training camp. It's excellent news for the former Ohio State Buckeye, whose 2024 was marred by multiple concussions that forced him to miss nine contests. Olave is a gifted NFL wide receiver, though we haven't quite seen his full upside in fantasy. Despite entering the season healthy, that may not be the case again, with questions surrounding the quarterback position after Derek Carr's abrupt departure. As of now, Tyler Shough appears to be the favorite to win the job over Spencer Rattler and Jake Haener. If Shough is just average, that'd be enough to make Olave's current price in drafts worth the risk. Talent has never been a concern for the 25-year-old, but his current situation doesn't inspire much confidence -- even as his team's unquestioned No. 1 wideout.