Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or DeVonta Smith

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.

Monday, August 4, 9:06 PM

Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver DeVonta Smith is standing out in camp and looking like a "bounce-back" candidate heading into the new season, Zach Berman of PHLY observes. Smith missed four games a season ago, but his fourth year in the NFL was still yet another productive campaign. He hauled in a career-high eight touchdowns while amassing 833 yards on 68 catches (89 targets). Smith's yardage total was the lowest of his career, but he likely would've gone over the 1,000-yard mark for the third straight season had he been healthier. Although Smith is behind A.J. Brown in Philly's receiver pecking order, he's good enough to enter 2025 as RotoBaller's 25th-ranked WR.