Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Keon Coleman

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.

Thursday, July 24, 9:36 PM

Buffalo Bills second-year wide receiver Keon Coleman "failed to deliver on several opportunities" in practice on Wednesday, according to Joe Buscaglia of The Athletic. Buscaglia notes that Coleman struggled to create separation, which has been a consistent issue throughout his NFL career so far. Buffalo used a second-round pick on Coleman in 2024, and he caught 29 passes for 556 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie. Khalil Shakir emerged as the team's top wide receiver target last season, and the Bills signed veteran Joshua Palmer to compete with Coleman on the outside. Coleman will have every opportunity to win a prominent role, but he's off to an inauspicious start to training camp after early reporting indicated he was also inconsistent during minicamp in the spring. He's a high-upside bet in fantasy, but he has a long way to go before he's can be counted on as a consistent contributor.