Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Quentin Johnston

Saturday, November 29, 5:31 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk has started to carve out a role for himself after being sidelined twice earlier in the season with hamstring issues. Kirk snagged his first touchdown of the season in Week 12's big win over Buffalo, and he snagged five of his six targets for 54 yards, his second-best total of the season. Kirk will look to build on that momentum this week in a big AFC South showdown against the Colts, who have been a top-10 matchup for wide receivers this season. Kirk's ceiling also gets a boost from the return of C.J. Stroud, after missing three games with a concussion. Kirk does have upside, but he has only caught 21 passes for 198 yards in his seven games this season, so he also has a low floor. The veteran slot receiver checks in as the WR77 in RotoBaller's Week 13 rankings, meaning he can be left on the bench or waiver wires in most standard-sized formats this week.

Friday, November 28, 5:55 PM

Los Angeles Chargers wide receiver Quentin Johnston enters Week 13 after posting his second game with zero receptions in four weeks, failing to catch any of his three targets against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Johnston's production depends heavily on deep targets and red-zone opportunities, but the team's severely injured offensive line has caused quarterback Justin Herbert to average only 4.7 and 3.8 air yards per attempt in the last two games, heavily limiting the downfield opportunities Johnston needs. He will face a Las Vegas Raiders defense that mainly plays zone coverage, a scheme that doesn't favor Johnston's stronger performances against man coverage. With Keenan Allen and Ladd McConkey commanding target shares, and rookie tight end Oronde Gadsden now handling short-yardage roles, Johnston is likely the odd man out. He remains a boom-or-bust WR4, with a high reliance on touchdowns going forward.