Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Michael Penix Jr.

Wednesday, September 17, 5:27 PM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk (hamstring) returned to practice on Wednesday and got in a limited session, per Jonathan M. Alexander of the Houston Chronicle. He is expected to make his team and season debut in Week 3 against his former team, the Jacksonville Jaguars, after he missed the first two weeks of the season. Fellow wideout Braxton Berrios (hamstring) is also expected to make his season debut this weekend. The 28-year-old Kirk is expected to be Houston's starting slot receiver when healthy, but don't be surprised if they ease him back into action against the Jags. In a Texans offense that has struggled to sustain drives through two weeks, we wouldn't recommend Kirk as anything more than a shaky WR5/flex if he's active on Sunday for his debut with the team. His impending return is bad news for both rookie receivers Jayden Higgins and Jaylin Noel.

Tuesday, September 16, 3:45 PM

The Atlanta Falcons really did not need to rely on the left arm of quarterback Michael Penix Jr. in Week 2 in their 22-6 victory over the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday Night Football. Penix attempted only 21 passes on the night, completing 13 of them for 135 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. He carried the ball just once for a loss of a yard and was sacked three times for a loss of 27 yards. The Falcons were content to let running backs Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier carry the load in a game in which Atlanta was ahead from start to finish. When Penix dropped back to pass, he mostly worked the short areas of the field. This type of game script could happen again in Week 3 versus the division-rival Carolina Panthers, but Penix showed in Week 1 that he can sling the ball around the yard when needed, as he nearly threw for 300 yards and a touchdown. Penix is a solid QB2 stash with upside in his first year as the Falcons' full-time starter under center.