Who Should I Start? Christian Kirk or Ricky Pearsall

Friday, December 26, 9:03 AM

Houston Texans wide receiver Christian Kirk is coming off one of his best games of the season last week against the Raiders, as the veteran played his most snaps (39) since Week 9 and had his most targets (5) since Week 12. He'll have a tougher matchup this week against the Chargers on Saturday and is a high-risk play for fantasy purposes since his role is still extremely shaky. He finishes second on the team in receiving yards and tied for second in targets last week, though, so it's possible he'll continue to trend up as the Texans continue their playoff push. Since he only has 25 catches for 241 yards and a touchdown this season, Kirk is a high-risk option in this tough matchup in Los Angeles, and he's just the No. 67 WR in RotoBaller's rankings. He can be left on the bench or waiver wire in most leagues, but it is worth monitoring his involvement to see if last week's performance was a matchup-based outlier or the start of a trend.

Sunday, December 28, 9:18 AM

San Francisco 49ers wide receiver Ricky Pearsall (knee, ankle) is expected to play against the Chicago Bears on Sunday Night Football in Week 17, according to Adam Schefter of ESPN.com. Pearsall is listed as questionable after practicing in a limited capacity. While star tight end George Kittle (ankle) is unlikely to play, San Francisco will get a major reinforcement in the passing game with Pearsall back from his one-game absence. The second-year receiver had six catches for 96 yards in his last healthy game against the Tennessee Titans, and he'll look to build on that performance this week against the Bears, who have allowed the third-most receiving yards and fifth-most fantasy points to opposing wide receivers in 2025. He ranks as a low-end WR3/flex in deeper leagues.