Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Malik Nabers

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.

Saturday, June 21, 1:01 PM

The New York Giants are "just playing it super cautious" with wide receiver Malik Nabers (toe) this offseason, according to ESPN's Jordan Raanan. Nabers missed organized team activities and mandatory minicamp with a toe injury that has bothered him since college, but the Giants have no concerns and he's expected to be ready for the start of training camp in late July. The 21-year-old former first-rounder didn't miss a single game in his rookie campaign in 2024 due to his toe ailment and finished as the WR7 in half-PPR scoring with 109 receptions on 170 targets for 1,204 yards and seven touchdowns in 15 games played. Those numbers are impressive on their own before considering the shaky QB play Nabers dealt with. Russell Wilson may not be much better in 2025, but Nabers should once again be heavily targeted and should be a safe WR1 target for fantasy managers entering his second year.