Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or DeMario Douglas

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 15, 2:00 PM

Patriots.com's Evan Lazar writes that along with wide receiver Stefon Diggs (knee), New England Patriots pass-catchers DeMario Douglas and third-round rookie Kyle Williams are "locks" to make the 53-man roster. Mack Hollins also has a very strong chance of making the team. Douglas, 24, was the highest-rated Patriots receiver in ESPN's receiver score metric, finishing 25th among qualified pass-catchers. He had 66 catches for 621 yards and three touchdowns on 87 targets in his second NFL season and is set to reprise his role in the slot for the Pats in 2025. A lot of Douglas' early-season fantasy value will depend on whether Diggs is ready to start the regular season or not, and if he is, how effective he'll be. Douglas should see enough volume to be worth a late-round PPR flier in deeper leagues, but the Patriots also have much more competition at the position than they did a year ago.