Who Should I Start? Cooper Kupp or Christian Kirk

Tuesday, June 24, 12:16 PM

The Athletic's Michael-Shawn Dugar writes that new Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp still has some juice, and the team thinks he still has enough left in the tank to be a legitimate complementary piece to WR1 Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Kupp looked the part during offseason workouts and still has enough wiggle, understanding of leverage and quickness to be a pest underneath and in the red zone. The 32-year-old veteran is no longer the same receiver that accomplished the receiving Triple Crown in 2021, but he can still win with deception and his high-level route-running. Kupp's fantasy floor and ceiling are much lower now, and he's missed five or more games in three straight seasons due to injuries, but he can still be in play as a WR4/flex in the Pacific Northwest if he stays on the field. RotoBaller has him ranked just inside the top-50 pass-catchers.

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.