Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or DeMario Douglas
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
Christian Kirk News
Friday, June 5, 5:35 AM
Since 2021, San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Christian Kirk has taken more than 75% of his snaps out of the slot, but in signing with the Niners in free agency, he landed with a team that deployed 11 personnel at the league's sixth-lowest rate in 2025. In the Kyle Shanahan era, no team has more regularly removed a receiver from the formation in favor of a fullback than the 49ers, putting Kirk at a disadvantage before even factoring in the team's splashier free agent signing of six-time Pro Bowler Mike Evans or the surprise selection of De'Zhaun Stribling with the 33rd overall pick of the 2026 NFL Draft. There's a slim possibility of a tendency shift to lighter personnel early in the year as the team awaits a return to health from All-Pro tight end George Kittle, but even in this unlikely scenario, Kirk could still find himself fighting for playing time behind Evans, Stribling, and 2024 first-round pick Ricky Pearsall. Once partly responsible for resetting the wide receiver free agent market, Kirk is now 29 years old, and at RotoBaller's dynasty WR97, he is no longer a player who needs to be rostered in shallower leagues.
Week 1 Projections
| Fant. Pts. |
Rush. Yds. |
Rush TD |
Rec. | Rec. Yds. |
Rec TD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
DeMario Douglas News
Saturday, June 20, 5:25 AM
New England Patriots wide receiver DeMario Douglas has routinely provided a spark out of the slot, averaging more than 6.2 yards after catch per reception through his first three years in the league, but his waning usage in 2025 led to career lows of 447 yards on only 31 receptions. The arrival of Josh McDaniels as offensive coordinator had many calling for a modest breakout based on the past success of slot receivers Julian Edelman, Danny Amendola, and Wes Welker in his system, but with the Patriots opting for a bigger, more physical style of play, Douglas often ceded slot work to the 6'4", 221-pound Mack Hollins and saw a sub-30% snap share in 14 of 17 games. McDaniels has spoken about wanting to get Douglas more involved, but most of the moves made by New England this offseason suggest a path toward even more heavy personnel usage, with Douglas now buried on a depth chart topped by new additions A.J. Brown and Romeo Doubs. Douglas will continue to have his moments in McDaniels' game plan-specific offense, but outside of RotoBaller's top 300, he is not a player who can be trusted in 2026 fantasy leagues, other than deep best-ball formats.
Christian Kirk vs. DeMario Douglas
Still trying to decide between Kirk and Douglas? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Christian Kirk is projected to score 0.0 points this week while DeMario Douglas is projected to score 0.0 points.
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