Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Colby Parkinson

Friday, December 26, 9:03 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk is coming off one of his best games of the season last week against the Raiders, as the veteran played his most snaps (39) since Week 9 and had his most targets (5) since Week 12. He'll have a tougher matchup this week against the Chargers on Saturday and is a high-risk play for fantasy purposes since his role is still extremely shaky. He finishes second on the team in receiving yards and tied for second in targets last week, though, so it's possible he'll continue to trend up as the Texans continue their playoff push. Since he only has 25 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown this season, Kirk is a high-risk option in this tough matchup in Los Angeles, and he's just the No. 67 WR in RotoBaller's rankings. He can be left on the bench or waiver wire in most leagues, but it is worth monitoring his involvement to see if last week's performance was a matchup-based outlier or the start of a trend.

Tuesday, December 30, 11:27 AM

Across 14 games this season, Los Angeles Rams tight end Colby Parkinson has recorded 39 receptions for 372 yards and six touchdowns on 49 targets. The 26-year-old has seen his role in the Rams' offense grow in recent weeks. Over his last four games, Parkinson has hauled in 16 catches for 181 yards and three touchdowns on 23 targets. He's also played at least 78% of his team's offensive snaps in each of his last three outings. The Rams have been without star wide receiver Davante Adams (hamstring) for two straight games, and there's a chance Adams remains sidelined for Los Angeles' Week 18 matchup against the Arizona Cardinals as well. Without Adams, Parkinson has a chance to function as one of the primary targets for Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford in the red zone. Parkinson carries streamer appeal in Week 18 against Arizona and could be a player worth targeting on the waiver wire for fantasy managers in leagues with 12 or more teams.