Who Should I Start? Cooper Kupp or Makai Lemon


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
5.9 0.0 0.0 2.1 27.3 0.2

Cooper Kupp News

Cooper Kupp Is Slipping Into Deep-Bench Territory

Friday, August 21, 8:56 AM

Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Cooper Kupp is still running with the starters, but the fantasy case keeps getting thinner. He played 16 games last season and caught 47 passes for 593 yards and two touchdowns on 70 targets. Meanwhile, Jaxon Smith-Njigba exploded for 119 catches and 1,793 yards, and Seattle has spent this summer talking about a bigger offensive role for Rashid Shaheed. Kupp has made plays in camp, including a one-handed grab from Sam Darnold, so this isn't about him suddenly looking finished. It's about volume. Seattle attempted only 481 passes last season, fourth-fewest in the NFL, and Kupp was already living on a modest target share before Shaheed's role started growing. RotoBaller has dropped Kupp to 222nd overall in its Aug. 19 PPR rankings. At 33, he can still give Seattle useful snaps and have the occasional fantasy week. There just isn't much pointing toward a return to steady starting value. Kupp looks more like deep bench depth than a receiver fantasy managers should be trying to force into drafts.


Week 1 Projections

Fant.
Pts.
Rush.
Yds.
Rush
TD
Rec. Rec.
Yds.
Rec
TD
9.2 0.4 0.0 3.3 44.2 0.2

Makai Lemon News

Makai Lemon Still Expected to Have a Major Role in Eagles Passing Game

Friday, August 21, 12:25 PM

Philadelphia Eagles rookie wide receiver Makai Lemon (hamstring) is expected to have a major role in the team's passing game, according to Zach Berman of The Athletic. The 20th overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, Lemon has missed a large portion of training camp with a hamstring injury and just recently returned to practice in a limited capacity. Still, Berman writes that Lemon is expected to be one of Philly's top three wide receivers alongside DeVonta Smith and Dontayvion Wicks, and that the team believes the rookie can stay up to speed even without on-field work. Following their offseason trade of wide receiver A.J. Brown to the New England Patriots, the Eagles have a significant level of pass-catching production to backfill in 2026. As long as he can stay healthy from here on out, Lemon could be a major part of that effort. In leagues where his value may be dropping due to injury concerns, Lemon could be a solid buy-low target for fantasy managers.


Cooper Kupp vs. Makai Lemon

Still trying to decide between Kupp and Lemon? Check on the latest news to make sure both players are active and healthy. Our PPR projections show that Cooper Kupp is projected to score 5.9 points this week while Makai Lemon is projected to score 9.2 points.