Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Khalil Shakir

Friday, January 16, 3:12 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk posted an underwhelming regular season in his first year with the team, recording 28 receptions for 239 yards and a touchdown on 52 targets across 13 games played. However, the 29-year-old broke out with a dominant performance in Houston's Wild Card Weekend win over the Pittsburgh Steelers, hauling in eight catches for 144 yards and a touchdown on nine targets. With star Texans wideout Nico Collins (concussion) exiting the game in the second half after suffering a concussion, Kirk stepped into a more prominent role in his team's offense. Collins has not practiced this week and is reportedly trending towards missing Houston's Divisional Round matchup against the New England Patriots. As a result, Kirk could see another week as the primary target-earner from Texans quarterback C.J. Stroud. If Collins is ruled out, fantasy managers should view Kirk as the top wide receiver option in Houston for the Divisional Round.

Saturday, February 14, 9:44 AM

Buffalo Bills wide receiver Khalil Shakir has put up strikingly similar stat lines over each of the past two seasons, averaging 93 targets, 74 receptions, 770 yards, and four touchdowns as the top wideout in what is usually thought of as a high-powered offense. While Shakir has provided a safe fantasy floor for the better parts of the past three seasons, it's unlikely he takes a huge leap forward in year five and would likely benefit from a more naturally fitting supporting role. After publicly disparaging 2024 second-round pick Keon Coleman, the Bills have been repeatedly tied to wide receivers in what projects to be a very strong draft class. Any high-profile additions to the position will likely find work at the expense of Coleman. At the same time, Shakir could benefit from softer coverages while still seeing five to seven looks per game. While he will likely never profile as a fantasy league-winner, Shakir's floor is secure and could actually rise if Buffalo's offense can take a step under new head coach Joe Brady.